Platini reveals his unwillingness to take any managerial positions in football
French former president of the European Football Association (UEFA) Michel Platini has revealed that he does not want to take any management positions in football, after he was acquitted by a Swiss court in the case of fraud against FIFA.
This came during an interview with Platini, 67, broadcasted by French TV channel LCI on Friday evening.
The Swiss Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona had acquitted Platini, as well as the Swiss Joseph Blatter, the former president of the International Football Association (FIFA), days ago in the case of fraud against FIFA.
Blatter and Platini were tried in court in Bellinzona, on charges including fraud against FIFA, in connection with the transfer of two million Swiss francs ($2.77 million) to Platini in 2011 on the grounds that it was in exchange for consulting work he provided to FIFA between 1998 and 2002.
Both Blatter and Platini were banned for eight years from any football-related activity by the FIFA Ethics Committee, but their sentences were later reduced by the International Court of Arbitration for Sport.
"I want to live in peace after 50 years of media hype," Platini said during the interview. "I think my family and I deserve an important break from the media."
Platini confirmed that he is not seeking any position in FIFA, UEFA, the French Federation or the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro).
"It's a decision I made a long time ago," Platini said. "But I wanted to say this with my head held high, not as an accused."
Platini did not want to consider this decision as a final departure from football, stating, "I have not announced my retirement. But I will not return to the institutions that destroyed me. But if there is something positive to offer to the players or the world of football, I will be present."
The former football star Platini led the French national team to the European Nations Cup title in 1984.
The prosecution had demanded a one-year and eight-month suspended sentence for Blatter and Platini, in addition to Platini's fine of 2.2 million Swiss francs, which is equivalent to the transfer amount plus the social security taxes paid by FIFA.
Blatter and Platini maintained the innocence, claiming that FIFA at that time was not in a financial position to pay the full dues to Platini, who in turn spoke of a fabricated case.
As for Blatter, who had claimed that they had a verbal agreement over the money transfer, he said before the verdict he expected not to be found guilty.
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