MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th May, 2020) Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, the world football's governing body, gained his position due to a "skillful combination of circumstances" and must resign, former President of the Union of European Associations (UEFA) Michel Platini said in an interview with L'Illustre magazine on Wednesday, recalling that the FIFA head had greatly contributed to launching an inquiry against him in 2015.
According to the ex-UEFA head, he was a victim of a conspiracy. In 2016, he was to be elected as president of FIFA. However, Infantino, who served as secretary general under Platini's presidency at the UEFA in 2015, made every effort to exclude him from the presidential race. In particular, during secret meetings, he reached agreements with Attorney General of Switzerland Michael Lauber, his spokesman Andre Marty and other officials, leading to a probe into Platini over bribery charges.
"I think Lauber is aware that he has crossed the red line. Infantino, in my opinion, should withdraw from his mandate. But the problem is that he became president of FIFA by a skillful combination of circumstances, as an opportunist, without having any particular legitimacy. He will, therefore, do everything to hang on to his post," Platini said.
According to the ex-president, Lauber and Infantino think they are untouchable and above the law, therefore, they decided to hold the secret meetings, which could not have taken place if they respected the rule of law.
Platini was suspected by Swiss prosecutors of receiving an illicit 1.8-million-euro ($1.9 million) payment in 2011 from then FIFA boss Sepp Blatter. In 2015, the adjudicatory chamber of the association's Ethics Committee banned both Blatter and Platini from all football-related activities for eight years. The Appeal Committee cut the ban to six years in 2016. Blatter and Platini appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which lowered Platini's ban to four years, while dismissing Blatter's appeal. Platini's ban ended last October.
