Soccer

Michel Platini takes appeal to Court of Arbitration for Sport

Former president of Uefa appealing football ban which has been reduced to six years

Michel Platini has taken his appeal against his ban from football to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Photograph: PA
Michel Platini has taken his appeal against his ban from football to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Photograph: PA
Wed Mar 02 2016 - 09:36

Michel Platini has taken his appeal against his ban from football to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Cas announced on Wednesday morning that the Frenchman was challenging the suspension from football at a national and international level, which last week was reduced from eight years to six by Fifa’s Appeal Committee.

Platini and Sepp Blatter were punished in December over a 2million Swiss francs (€1.84m) "disloyal payment" made to the Frenchman by the former Fifa president.

They were given eight-year suspensions which were reduced by two years in recognition of their services to the game, but both deny any wrongdoing and neither is satisfied by the appeal verdict.

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Platini reacted to an “insulting” and “shameful” decision, by saying it was designed to prevent him from challenging for the Fifa presidency, but told L’Equipe last Thursday: “I’m not going to commit suicide.”

In a statement on Wednesday, Cas said: “Michel Platini has filed an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the decision issued by the Fifa Appeal Committee on 24 February 2016.

“In appealing to the Cas, Michel Platini seeks to annul the decisions taken by the Adjudicatory Chamber of the Fifa Ethics Committee and by the Fifa Appeal Committee which lead to him being declared ineligible to take part in football-related activity at national and international level for six years.

“A Cas arbitration procedure is in progress. First, the parties will exchange written submissions and a panel of three arbitrators will be constituted. The Panel will then issue directions with respect to the holding of a hearing. Following the hearing, the Panel will deliberate and on a later date, it will issue a decision in the form of an Arbitral Award.”

Platini's suspension ruled him out of the race to replace Blatter at the head of Fifa — a pursuit which was won by Gianni Infantino.

Speaking about Platini last week, Blatter told French radio station RTL: “For a certain time, I’ve seen that there is a kind of conspiracy at Fifa, firstly against Michel Platini, so that he doesn’t become president of Fifa. I find this sad.”