Michel Platini loses second appeal of 90-day ban from FIFA
The Court of Arbitration for Sport has rejected UEFA president Michel Platini's appeal of his 90-day ban from FIFA, the Associated Press reports.
FIFA rejected Platini’s original appeal of the ban in November. Platini brought his case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport for a second hearing, and on Friday the court unanimously ruled that the ban would be upheld as it has not caused “irreparable harm” to Platini.
Platini and FIFA president Sepp Blatter were suspended by FIFA in October as a result of an ongoing investigation by the FIFA ethics committee into alleged mismanagement of FIFA funds, centering on a $2 million payment Blatter made to Platini in 2011.
The controversial payment is also under investigation by Swiss authorities, who on Friday announced they would be increasing focus on the investigation.
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Platini appealed the ban in hopes of returning to his campaign to replace Blatter as FIFA president in a special election to be held on Feb. 26. He was left off the official ballot announced last month. The court said Friday that Platini would be able to return to campaigning following a verdict by the FIFA ethics committee, if it chose to allow him to run.
Platini’s hearing before the ethics committee is scheduled for next Friday, the day after Blatter’s hearing. The committee has requested banning Platini from FIFA for life, and is expected to reach a decision on his status shortly after the hearing.
- Erin Flynn
