- Title: Platini free to return to soccer as FIFA ban ends
- Date: 7th October 2019
- Summary: DOHA, QATAR (FILE - DECEMBER 2, 2010) (REUTERS) FANS WATCHING THE BIG SCREEN HOLDING SCARVES CROWD REACTS TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT QATAR HAS BEEN AWARDED THE 2022 WORLD CUP CROWD CELEBRATING
- Embargoed: 21st October 2019 18:09
- Keywords: Michel Platini UEFA ban FIFA
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: France
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA003B03MMVB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Former European soccer boss Michel Platini's four-year FIFA ban from the sport over ethics violations comes to an end on Monday (October 7) at 2159 GMT.
Platini was banned largely due to a 2 million Swiss Francs ($2 million) payment the former French great received from FIFA in 2011.
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and Platini argued that the payment followed a verbal agreement they made in 1998, and concerned Platini's work for Blatter between 1998 and 2002.
Platini, who has denied wrongdoing, was banned from soccer along with Sepp Blatter, the former FIFA head who approved the payment.
In June, Platini was briefly detained for questioning by French police over the awarding of the 2022 World Cup soccer tournament to Qatar. The investigation into Qatar's World Cup continues despite the end of his FIFA suspension.
The French midfield legend was a three-times European footballer of the year, captaining France to the 1984 European championships and helped bring the World Cup to his home country in 1998.
(Production: Iain Axon) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
