Platini lodges appeal against 90-day FIFA suspension

Michel Platini has lodged an appeal with FIFA against a 90-day suspension and was backed by the South American confederation, which called for the European football leader to be allowed to stand in the presidential election to succeed Sepp Blatter.

CONMEBOL’s intervention comes ahead of a FIFA executive committee meeting later this month which is poised to discuss whether to delay the February 26 emergency presidential election.

The French Football Federation (FFF) has also agreed to appeal against Platini’s ban before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if the suspension is not overturned by the FIFA appeal committee.

“The FFF has adopted the principle of an appeal if the decision of the FIFA appeal committee does not go Michel Platini’s way,” a FFF spokesman told Reuters by telephone on Saturday.

The FFF is expecting the FIFA appeal committee decision within eight days.

FIFA’s ethics committee imposed a provisional 90-day ban on Platini on Thursday after a payment the UEFA president received from the world body became embroiled in a Swiss criminal investigation.

Blatter, who was also suspended from his role as FIFA president, filed an appeal Thursday with the organisation he has led for 17 years.

“The presumption of innocence is a fundamental right that has to be considered,” CONMEBOL said in a statement on its website.

“Mr. Platini has not been found guilty of any charge, therefore the provisional ban jeopardizes the integrity of the electoral process to the FIFA presidency, of which Mr. Platini is a candidate.”