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Platini to boycott ethics hearing in Zurich tomorrow
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Michel Platini has decided not to attend his hearing before FIFA鈥檚 ethics committee in Zurich, scheduled for tomorrow, his lawyers said yesterday.
A statement from the legal representatives of the suspended UEFA president said he chose to boycott the hearing after 鈥渢he verdict was already announced to the press by a spokesman ... going against the presumption of innocence鈥.
Platini and FIFA president Sepp Blatter are currently serving 90-day bans after Swiss prosecutors opened a criminal probe looking partly into a 2-million Swiss franc (US$2 million) payment Blatter authorized to Platini in 2011, reportedly for work done a decade earlier.
The provisional ban is due to expire on January 5 but both men risk being banned for life by the tribunal, with a verdict expected on Monday.
According to Platini鈥檚 lawyers, who will attend the hearing, prosecutors are seeking a lifetime ban against the Frenchman. The penalty sought against Blatter is not known.
Andreas Bantel, spokesman for FIFA鈥檚 ethics committee, was quoted by French sports daily L鈥橢quipe as saying that Platini would be sidelined for 鈥渟everal years鈥.
鈥淪uppose even the charge of corruption is not accepted by the chamber, there are many other offenses such as a conflict of interest, mismanagement or falsification of accounts,鈥 Bantel was also quoted as saying by l鈥橢quipe before its website story was altered.
Bantel, who has highlighted that he represents only the prosecutors in FIFA鈥檚 in-house court, not the judges, said that the French daily had published 鈥渁n unauthorized interview鈥 and his comments had been made in a personal capacity.
Platini鈥檚 lawyers responded, saying: 鈥淏y this decision, Michel Platini wishes to express his indignation at the proceedings that he considers to be purely political and intended to prevent him running for the FIFA presidency.鈥
The Frenchman鈥檚 campaign for the leadership of world football鈥檚 governing body has been halted by the ban and he was unable to attend last weekend鈥檚 Euro 2016 draw in Paris.
FIFA鈥檚 ethics court had reaffirmed its integrity earlier yesterday after a report appeared in L鈥橢quipe saying that Platini had not yet decided whether to attend his hearing.
A statement from the judgement branch of the FIFA court said 鈥渢he Ethics Committee will deal with the present case in the same way as with any other procedure independently and in an unbiased manner.鈥
The statement from the committee鈥檚 judges added that a boycott of the hearing by Platini would see him 鈥渕iss the opportunity to present his points of view vis-a-vis the adjudicatory chamber in person.鈥
In a letter released on Tuesday, Blatter said that he would appear at his hearing today.
But he also cast doubt on the process, citing the Bantel comments as evidence that the process would not be fair.
FIFA is suffering the worst corruption scandal in its more than 100 years of existence, drawing in top officials and triggering investigations by US and Swiss authorities.
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