FIFA Bars Michel Platini From Contesting For Presidency

FIFA has confirmed it will not allow Michel Platini to stand in the presidential election while his ban from football-related activity remains in force.
The deadline for presidential nominations is on Monday and UEFA president Platini has already submitted his candidacy for the vote on February 26.
The Frenchman, however, was handed a provisional 90-day suspension together with FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, two weeks ago.



Both men are being investigated over a €1.8m payment Platini received from Blatter in 2011, which they say related to consultancy work Platini completed nine years earlier.
A FIFA statement read: "Domenico Scala, in his capacity as chairman of the FIFA Ad-hoc Electoral Committee, provided information to the Executive Committee regarding the ongoing process for the FIFA presidential election.


"He explained that candidacies for the FIFA Presidency that are submitted in due time and form, but which relate to candidates who are subject to a (provisional or definite) ban from taking part in any football-related activity, will not be processed by the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee as long as such ban is valid and in force."
Platini denies any wrongdoing and is awaiting the verdict of the FIFA appeals committee after challenging his suspension. If Platini's suspension is lifted before the election on February 26, he may be able to re-enter the race
FIFA's statement continued: "The chairman also told the Executive Committee that, should such a ban be lifted or expire before the FIFA presidential election, scheduled for 26 February 2016, the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee would decide, depending on the respective exact point in time, on how to proceed with the candidacy concerned."


There had also been uncertainty surrounding the timing of the election and whether it might be postponed in light of the investigations into Blatter and Platini. FIFA's executive committee, however, confirmed at an emergency meeting in Zurich on Tuesday that the vote will go ahead as planned.
The statement read: "FIFA ExCo reconfirms 26 February 2016 as the date of the extraordinary elective congress in Zurich."
In addition to Platini, former Fifa vice-president, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, former Trinidad and Tobago player David Nakhid, and Asian Football Confederation president, Sheikh Salman al-Khalifa, are expected to stand.


The election will decide the successor to Blatter, who has been president since 1998 but announced his decision to stand down in June following the arrest of seven FIFA officials on corruption charges.
Swiss prosecutors then opened criminal proceedings against Blatter in September for criminal mismanagement and the 'disloyal payment' to Platini. FIFA's ethics committee has previously been prevented from making public details of its investigations and decisions but the body said it had agreed on Tuesday to a change in the ruling.
Tribune.