Platini: It is ´unimaginable´ that I will not be at ´my child´ Euro 2016

Suspended former UEFA president Michel Platini has described his punishment as an
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“enormous injustice” but retains hope of having his ban lifted.

However, the former France international admitted it is unlikely his ban will be lifted before Euro 2016, set to be played in his homeland.

Platini was handed an eight-year ban, later reduced to six, from all football-related activity after the adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee ruled a payment of two million Swiss francs (£1.3million) authorised by Sepp Blatter to the former France captain constituted multiple infringements of the FIFA Code of Ethics (FCE).

The ban means Platini is unable to attend the European Championship France will host starting in June.

“The Euro 2016 is my child, but I do not know if I will get there,” he told BeIN Sports. 

“It is unimaginable that I would not be there from its beginning.” 

Platini added: “This is outrageous and it is a huge injustice.”

Platini suggested there was an agenda against him ahead of the FIFA presidential elections, which were eventually won by Gianni Infantino.

“There were a lot of people who opposed the idea of my leadership at FIFA,” he said.

“Why? Because I might have changed a lot in the organisation, things people might not have wanted to change.

“Those people made loyalties which is a shame, but that’s the way it is.”

Platini admitted there were some things he and Blatter did that may have been regrettable, but said overall they could be proud of their legacy in football.

“Mr. Blatter was heavily scrutinised and investigated and he may have done some things he should not have, but the same goes for me,” he said.

“Overall what he did for football is very good. Football is doing very well now and it is the most popular sport on the planet.

“That is thanks to those who have worked in its institution. They should be thanked.”

Platini also commented on new FIFA president Infantino, saying: “He is a different type of president. He is less about the politics and more about the legal aspect of things.

“His priority is not to polish or keep his reputation but to make the organisation more transparent.

“Now that he is president, there will surely be more transparency in FIFA.

“I have confidence he can do it.”