Michel Platini: Uefa president loses suspension appeal

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Michel PlatiniImage source, Getty Images
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Michel Platini has been Uefa president since 2007

Uefa president Michel Platini has failed in his bid to have his 90-day provisional ban from football lifted.

Platini's request was denied by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which means the Frenchman will not be allowed to attend the Euro 2016 finals draw in Paris on Saturday.

The 60-year-old was suspended in October, along with Fifa president Sepp Blatter, while corruption claims are investigated.

Both deny any wrongdoing.

Platini and Blatter will have personal hearings with Fifa's ethics committee next week, following allegations that a £1.35m payment was made in 2011 for work Platini did as Blatter's adviser.

A verdict is expected on Monday, 21 December.

Ethics investigators for football's world governing body, who handed down the initial 90-day suspension, have recommended a life ban for Platini.

Blatter has announced he will stand down from his post, leaving Fifa to elect a new president at a special congress on 26 February, 2016.

Platini was one of the favourites to replace him and still plans to stand.

Analysis

Richard Conway, BBC Radio 5 live sports news correspondent, Paris:

"Platini is trying to provide evidence to show he is innocent, but what the court was asked to do in this case was not look at the facts but at whether it was fair to exclude him from the presidential election process.

"Platini wants to succeed Sepp Blatter in February but at the moment he's banned completely from all footballing activity, so he can't be a candidate.

"The Euro 2016 draw is on Saturday and Platini was ready and waiting to go to the draw - a symbol that he was back in business.

"All that has now been put on hold and we await the decision from Fifa's ethics committee, which is due on Monday, 21 December."

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