Platini´s FIFA presidency bid on hold

Michel Platini’s bid to become FIFA president will remain on hold while the UEFA chief is suspended by world football’s world governing body. 

The Frenchman is subject to a 90-day ban relating to an alleged “disloyal payment” he received from current FIFA supremo Sepp Blatter in 2011 for work carried out between 1999 and 2002

Platini has already formally submitted his candidacy for FIFA presidency, with an election set for February 26, although his ban will end just six days prior to that date – provided FIFA’s Ethics Committee do not exercise their option to extend the suspension by 45 days.

“Candidacies for the FIFA Presidency that are submitted in due time and form, but which relate to candidates who are subject to a (provisional or definite) ban from taking part in any football-related activity, will not be processed by the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee as long as such ban is valid and in force,” a FIFA statement reads.

“Should such a ban be lifted or expire before the FIFA presidential election, scheduled for 26 February 2016, the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee would decide, depending on the respective exact point in time, on how to proceed with the candidacy concerned.”

Meanwhile, the Executive Committee has welcomed the preliminary recommendations developed by the 2016 FIFA Reform Committee, which will submit the final set of reform proposals to the FIFA Executive Committee at its next session in December 2015.

“I was pleased to see unity among the Executive Committee members during our discussions of reform and its critical importance to our organisation and world football,” said Acting FIFA President Issa Hayatou. 

“Increasing the transparency of ethics investigations is just one example of our firm commitment to change.

“It was also significant that we set the course for the upcoming presidential election.”