Michel Platini's lawyer says FIFA's Ethics Committee seeking life ban against client
FIFA's Ethics Committee wants to make sure that Michel Platini never steps foot in football's governing body again.
In conversation with The Associated Press, Platini's lawyer, Thibaud d'Ales, said that FIFA's Ethics Committee is requesting a life ban for his client that would effectively end his chances of running for the FIFA presidency. D'Ales words echo those that were published in a media release from football's governing body three days ago, in which the Ethics Committee confirmed that its final report contained requests for sanctions against Platini.
Related: FIFA's Ethics Commitee requests sanctions against Blatter, Platini
"The overreaching of the request really convinces us of this commission's total lack of credibility," said D'Ales. "There is not a single tangible element in this case that can confirm the suspicions."
After adding that he was informed of FIFA's Ethics Committee's request on Monday and decided to make it public after it was leaked by the French media, D'Ales said: "Obviously we've got the proof that such a deal existed. We will submit it to CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport), which will handle the case within a fairly short space of time."
At the beginning of October, Platini, along with disgraced FIFA president Sepp Blatter, was provisionally banned for 90 days from all football activities after the Office of the General Attorney of Switzerland opened criminal proceedings against Blatter, suspecting him of a "disloyal payment" valued at CHF 2 Mio. (£1.35 million, €2 million) to Platini at the expense of FIFA in February 2011.
Related: Blatter: Payment to Platini based on 'gentleman's agreement'
The CAS confirmed Friday that Platini filed an "urgent appeal" in hopes of overturning his 90-day ban and reviving his faint hopes of running for the FIFA presidency.
FIFA's Ad-hoc Electoral Committee admitted and declared five candidates eligible to stand for the governing body's presidency nearly two weeks ago. Platini, however, was absent from the list, as his integrity check - a mandatory, two-step process for all candidates - will apparently not be carried out until his disciplinary case is completed.