FA continue to support Platini despite FIFA ban

Michel Platini retains the support of the Football Association in his bid for the FIFA presidency, despite being banned by world football’s governing body.

Platini and current FIFA president Sepp Blatter were suspended for 90 days by the FIFA Ethics Committee on Thursday as investigations into their conduct continue.

Blatter is being investigated by the Swiss Attorney General, having been accused of making a “disloyal payment” in 2011 to Platini. 

Both men have denied any wrongdoing, with the UEFA chief earlier on Thursday releasing a strongly worded statement lambasting a “deliberate leak – which is insidious in nature and… is essentially an attempt to damage my reputation” shortly before news of the sanctions was announced by world football’s governing body.

The FA had already committed to maintaining their support for Platini when the allegations initially surfaced last week and they have indicated that stance will not be changing.

Their statement read: “This is an extremely disappointing day for football. We trust the FIFA Ethics Committee will conduct the investigations in an independent, robust and timely manner.

“As we said last week, there are key questions that have arisen in the past month that must be answered by those concerned.

“This important process – along with the investigation by the Swiss Attorney General – should not be allowed to affect the need for urgent change at FIFA. Our over-riding concern has always been for full and transparent reform as soon as possible and this remains The FA’s priority.

“David Gill, the British member of the FIFA Executive, along with Wolfgang Niersbach, the German representative, have today called for an emergency meeting of the FIFA Executive to discuss this morning’s events. They are conscious that both the President and General Secretary of FIFA are currently suspended.

“We also understand there will be a meeting of the 54 UEFA nations as soon as next week.

“The FA committed this summer to supporting Mr Platini in his bid to become the next President of FIFA. At The FA Board meeting last week, we decided that remained our position while inquiries into certain allegations were being investigated.

“We now await the results of both the Ethics Committee inquiry and the investigation of the Swiss Attorney General. We note that Mr Platini has issued a strong statement protesting his innocence.”