UEFA president Michel Platini condemned FIFA’s ethics committee decision to ban him for eight years, calling it a complete farce intended to tarnish his reputation. In a statement sent to Agence France-Presse, he denied the bodies involved any legitimacy or credibility.
The three-time Ballon d’Or winner said that alongside an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, he was determined to turn to civil courts at the appropriate time to seek compensation for the harm suffered over many weeks because of the ruling. He said he would pursue the process to its conclusion.