Platini appeals six-year ban

By Daily Sports on April 29, 2016

Suspended UEFA president Michel Platini appeared before sport's highest tribunal on Friday to appeal against his six-year ban from soccer and said he was optimistic he would win his case, with FIFA ex-president Sepp Blatter among the witnesses.

Platini, who arrived in a taxi for the hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), is hoping that the ban will be overturned in time for the Euro 2016 tournament, which will be held in his native France in June and July.

CAS said a decision could even be made as early as next week, depending on how the closed, day-long hearing progresses.

"Today, we're at the beginning of the game, a new game, in the final ... I hope the outcome will be good," said Platini, who was the favourite to succeed Blatter as president of soccer's global governing body FIFA before he was banned.

"Of course, I am optimistic that we are going to win," he told reporters, smiling and appearing relaxed.

Platini was banned for eight years in December along with Blatter over a payment of 2 million Swiss francs ($2.08 million) made to the Frenchman by FIFA with Blatter's approval in 2011 for work done a decade earlier.

FIFA's ethics committee, which imposed the ban, said the payment, made at a time when Blatter was seeking re-election, lacked transparency and presented conflicts of interest.

Both men denied wrongdoing and had their bans reduced to six years by FIFA's Appeal Committee in February.

CAS secretary general Matthieu Reeb said that Blatter, Fifa and Uefa vice-president Angel Maria Villar, and Jacques Lambert, head of the Euro 2016 organising committee, would give evidence.

"We don't know exactly when the final decision will be rendered, hopefully it could be early next week or a little later depending on what the parties today tell us," Reeb told reporters.

UEFA will hold its annual Congress in Budapest on Tuesday but Reeb could not say whether the decision would come before it opens. "Probably I will know about that later today," he said.

Blatter, whose own appeal will be heard separately at a later date, arrived three hours later for his testimony and said only, "I am a witness in the case of Mr Platini today and I will answer the question as a witness, thank you for your interest."

Villar, head of the Spanish football federation (RFEF), arrived and then left the hearing without answering questions.

•Culled from Supersports.com. Photo shows Michel Platini

Source Daily Sports

Posted April 29, 2016


 

You may also like...
Saka Fit For Arsenal’s Clash With West Ham...

Messi Picks His Favourite Career Goal

'Suffering makes us strong' - Barcelona joy despite...

Substitutes set up Everton win over Palace

Aurier to miss PSG's Arsenal clash after ban...

Sports Minister Declares E-Sports Championship Open

 

Latest News 'Perfect night' for Chelsea as 'exciting' Estevao gives glimpse of future Chelsea & Aston Villa fined for breaching Uefa financial rules Galatasaray to meet Osimhen next week Chelsea edge Palmeiras 2–1 to advance to Club World Cup semis Fluminense beat Al-Hilal to reach Club World Cup semi-finals Joshua, Wilder teams in contact over long-awaited clash Rashford to return to Man Utd training on Monday Liverpool postpone pre-season return following Jota death White House to host UFC event, says Trump Barca target Williams signs 10-year Bilbao deal Death of Liverpool forward Jota leaves football world in shock Will Chelsea's own 'Little Messi' end their Club World Cup hopes?

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,562 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,727 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,739 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,333 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (44,331 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (44,320 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (44,124 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,668 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,776 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,390 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,835 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (39,260 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media