Platini retains UEFA title

Platini retains UEFA title

LONDON, AP:

Still defiant, UEFA is standing by its man. Although Michel Platini was handed a 90-day suspension by FIFA, banning him from all soccer-related activity, the home page of UEFA's corporate website yesterday still had a smiling photo and statement from the man they continue to call president.

"This is because the UEFA executive committee is aware that the UEFA president will immediately take all necessary steps to appeal the decision of the FIFA ethics committee to clear his name," European soccer's governing body said in a statement posted on its website shortly after the 60-year-old Platini was suspended.

UEFA does clearly state that Platini will not carry out any official duties during the suspension, but keeping the former France captain as the visible leader in name could end up earning a rebuke, or worse, from FIFA for failing to adhere to the ethics committee's decision.

stripped of duties

On the other side of Switzerland at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Sepp Blatter was stripped of his presidential duties on Thursday after also getting a 90-day ban. The governing body soon issued an official communique to announce that the 79-year-old Blatter had been "relieved of all his duties.

Blatter's job title was even wiped from his Twitter profile and the presidential page expunged, with a site for acting president Issa Hayatou uploaded in its place.

Both Platini and Blatter were suspended after becoming embroiled in a Swiss criminal investigation into financial wrongdoing at FIFA. If Platini does appeal and it is denied, it would effectively rule him out of the running to succeed Blatter as FIFA president in the election on February 26.