Former UEFA President Michel Platini was reportedly taken into custody at the Anti-Corruption Office of the Judicial Police as part of an investigation into the award hosting rights for the 2022 FIFA Wolrd Cup to Qatar, according to Mediapart.
Platini was the head of European football’s governing body between 2007 and 2015. He was ousted when he was slapped with a ban by the FIFA Ethics Committee in relatation to numerous regulations breaches.
According to BBC Sport, Platini was banned from football for eight years back in 2015 over a £1.3 million “disloyal payment” he received from then FIFA president Sepp Blatter. Blatter was also suspended and Platini’s ban was later halved, and is now set to expire in October of this year.
Following the arrests, Platini’s advisors issued a statement saying that the former UEFA chief was not guilty of any wrongdoing, according to the Associated Press.
“Michel Platini expresses himself serenely and precisely, answering all the questions, including those on the conditions for the awarding of Euro 2016 [to France], and has provided useful explanations,” the statement said.
Platini’s public relations team says that he is “absolutely confident” and has “strictly nothing to reproach himself with.”
Platini, 63, wasn’t the only target of the investigation.
According to the Sporting Intelligence’s Nick Harris, a number of officials who voted for Qatar have faced punishment for improper conduct or have had accusations made against them