Soccer union FIFPro distances itself from link to Platini

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This article was published 24/01/2020 (2407 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AMSTERDAM – Soccer players’ union FIFPro distanced itself Friday from reports Michel Platini will be advising the organization’s president.

French media reported that Platini, who has finished serving a four-year ban by FIFA for financial wrongdoing, would work with Philippe Piat.

“FIFPro would like to put on record that no such position has been discussed let alone agreed by the FIFPro board,” the Netherlands-based union said Friday in a single paragraph statement.

FIFPro represents about 65,000 professional soccer players, including in industry talks with FIFA and UEFA.

Platini’s ban eventually removed him from the UEFA presidency and ended his campaign to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president.

Blatter is serving a six-year ban by FIFA for his part in approving a $2 million payment to Platini in 2011 as uncontracted salary for work done as a presidential advisor a decade earlier. Blatter also approved pension contributions Platini had requested but was not entitled to.

Both deny wrongdoing, and Platini is still pursuing a case at the European Court of Human Rights.

While that case is proceeding, Platini has declined to pay FIFA a fine of 60,000 Swiss francs ($61,800), which should be repaid before he is eligible to return to work in soccer.

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