Platini slams FIFA Ethics Committee ´sham procedure´

Michel Platini has been the victim of “a sham procedure” carried out by the FIFA Ethics Committee, the UEFA president’s legal team have said.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the former France international’s 90-day suspension on Friday, thus ruling him out of the FIFA presidential race as well as preventing him from attending Saturday’s Euro 2016 finals draw.

Andreas Bantel, a spokesman for the Ethics Committee, later told L’Equipe that allegations of corruption against Platini were “well founded” and claimed he could face a suspension lasting “several years” once the Committee’s investigations have concluded.

Platini has reacted furiously to the remarks and accused football’s governing body of an unjust process of investigation.

“These words characterise a patent breach of the presumption of innocence. They demonstrate a political objective pursued by the Ethics Committee,” a statement issued by his representatives read.

“Mr Platini, whose punishment appears to have been set by the Ethics Committee of FIFA even before his explanations were heard, strongly condemns such practices, which bring to light the sham procedure of which he has been the object for weeks.”

Platini was originally suspended in early October, along with FIFA president Sepp Blatter, as a “disloyal payment” between the two was investigated.