Today was a bitter-sweet moment for French legend Michel Platini, as the three-time Ballon d’Or winner saw his ban from football reduced by two years yet was still forced to step down as UEFA president.
The 60-year-old icon, alongside former FIFA boss Sepp Blatter, were both slapped with a lengthy 8-year suspension from all football-related activity by the world football’s ethics committee back in December, a punishment which was later reduced to 6 years by an appeals committee.
The hefty ban was in relation to the £1.4m that Platini received from Blatter and FIFA back in 2011 in the absence of any contract, though the Frenchman and Swiss figure claim no wrongdoing, as they insist the payment was for Platini’s work as a legal advisor from 1998 to 2002.
The France legend, once hailed as the likely successor to Blatter as FIFA’s president, took his fight to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but only saw his ban reduced to four years, as the panel "was not convinced by the legitimacy of the payment".
UPDATE: #Platini has also resigned as president of #UEFA after failing to overturn his ban. pic.twitter.com/46wB66Mmos
— LiveSoccerTV.com (@LiveSoccerTV) May 9, 2016
"I take note of today's decision from CAS but I see it as a profound injustice," said Platini, as per The Telegraph.
"This decision inflicts a suspension on me that, as luck would have it, stops me from contesting the next election for the FIFA presidency.
"As agreed with the national associations, I am resigning from my duties as Uefa president to pursue my battle in front of the Swiss courts to prove my innocence in this case.”
UEFA executive committee are due to meet next week in Basel, as the task of replacing Platini as head remains, with an election in mid-September expected to be held.
80-year-old Sepp Blatter awaits news on the outcome of his appeal, as the CAS is yet to announce a reduction – if any – to the former FIFA boss’ ban.
