MIAMI — Banned UEFA president Michel Platini will continue to be paid “until further notice” despite being unable to carry out his duties, European soccer’s governing body said Tuesday.
UEFA’s statement came after FIFA told Reuters Monday that its banned president Sepp Blatter was still being paid and would continue to receive his salary until FIFA elect a new leader on Feb. 26.
But CONCACAF’s former president Jeffrey Webb, who was arrested in May, has had his contract terminated and is not receiving any cash from the body, a spokesman for the governing body for the sport in North and Central America and the Caribbean said.
Platini and Blatter were suspended for 90 days by FIFA’s Ethics Committee on Oct. 8 and then banned from all football activities by the same body last month.
The sanctions were over a $2 million payment FIFA made to Frenchman Platini with Blatter’s approval in 2011 for work which concluded nine years earlier.
FIFA Ethics Committee said the payment to Platini, made at a time when Blatter was seeking re-election, lacked transparency and presented conflicts of interest, though both men denied any wrongdoing and are appealing their bans.
“UEFA can confirm that Michel Platini is still receiving a salary from UEFA, and will continue to do so until further notice,” a spokesman for the Switzerland-based body said in an email.
Blatter’s salary has remained a secret and UEFA declined to comment on how much Platini received.
“Individual salaries are of a confidential nature and therefore are not disclosed. We will of course discuss all these matters as well as all other FIFA reforms in the UEFA Exco and with our associations in a future Congress with a view of adopting these proposals for us as well,” said the spokesman.
“However, we can of course not make these figures public without following a proper and due process. This is also part of compliance and good governance,” he added.
A CONCACAF spokesman said Webb’s employment had been “terminated” shortly after his arrest and that they were not paying him any salary or other form of payment.
Iraq to back Ali
The Iraq Football Association (IFA) has pledged its support for Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein in next month’s FIFA presidential election, the Jordanian royal said Wednesday.
Ali will stand against Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, former FIFA deputy general secretary Jerome Champagne of France, South African businessman and politician Tokyo Sexwale and UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino in the Feb. 26 vote.
“The FA has endorsed Prince Ali in a letter to FIFA,” IFA president Abdul Khaliq Masood said in a statement published by Ali’s bid team.
“We have decided that Iraq’s vote will go to Prince Ali because Prince Ali has always supported the development of football in Iraq, Jordan and our region.”
Ali hosted a delegation from Iraq including Masood and Iraq Minister of Sports and Youth Abdul Hussein Abtan Monday as he attempts to drum up support ahead of the election to decide who will succeed Blatter as president of the scandal-hit body.
