Share

English FA gives conditional backing to Platini

London - The English Football Association on Wednesday gave backing to Michel Platini to become FIFA president but said issues surrounding the Frenchman, named in a Swiss criminal investigation, need to be "fully examined."

The fast-moving FIFA case was discussed at an FA meeting on Wednesday and the English body released a cautious statement after.

"In July, The FA board decided unanimously to support Michel Platini if he intended to stand for the presidency of FIFA. We did so because we thought he was an excellent president of UEFA and could bring those same leadership qualities to FIFA. We are still of that view," said the statement.

"However, events of recent days have raised a number of issues which do need to be fully examined."

Swiss investigators have placed FIFA president Sepp Blatter under criminal investigation, part of which includes a two million dollar payment made by football's governing body to Platini, president of UEFA.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
64% - 474 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
36% - 263 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE