UEFA president Michel Platini | credits: guardian.co.uk
Fresh questions emerged on Wednesday over a two-million dollar payment Michel Platini received from FIFA, as Swiss prosecutors confirmed that the former French star is more than just a witness in their criminal probe, AFP reports.
The powerful head of Europe’s UEFA confederation has insisted he did nothing wrong and will stay in the race to succeed Sepp Blatter at the top of world football’s sleaze-tainted governing body.
A Swiss investigation against Blatter, opened last week, is focused in part on a two million Swiss franc (1.8m euro) payment he made to Platini in 2011, apparently for consulting work done between 1998 and 2002.
Switzerland’s Attorney General Michael Lauber has said there is evidence that the payment was “disloyal” to FIFA’s interests.
Platini, 60, told AFP his compensation was delayed because of financial constraints at FIFA in 1998-2002. The state of the world body’s finances for the period are unclear however.
FIFA’s worst-ever crisis began in May when US prosecutors charged 14 football officials and sports business executives over involvement in more than $150m of bribes.
With the scandal steadily widening, uncertainty has mounted over FIFA’s present and future leadership.
Blatter, 79, insists he will stay on until February when a special election is called to choose his successor.
Platini had been the favourite to win that vote, but some believe his implication in the Swiss probe will derail his candidacy.
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