In the margin of his 65th birthday, celebrated on the 21st of June, Michel Platini has spoken extensively in the columns of the daily “Le Monde” on the conditions of the awarding of the world Cup 2022 in Qatar. To recall, the former president of UEFA had been part of a mysterious lunch in November 2010, ten days before the vote on the awarding of the world Cup 2022, in the company of Nicolas Sarkozy, then president of the French Republic, and of the emir of Qatar.
According to the magazine “France Football,” Michel Platini has been urged to vote for Qatar. “During this meeting, there was a question of the redemption of the PSG by Qatari in exchange for a promise: that Platini does not give his voice in the United States, as he had contemplated, but in Qatar”, could we read in a survey in 2013 done by the French magazine.
Finally, in December 2015, Michel Platini had been sentenced to eight years of suspension of any activity related to football due to a “payment disloyal” and linking it to Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA. Platini had resigned in the aftermath.
“I don’t need the money of Qatar”
But in the columns of “the World”, the French is formal: it has never been influenced or bribed by the Qatari, either in the course of this famous breakfast or elsewhere. “I don’t need the money of Qatar, I was one of the best players in the world, I have gained, of the money,” defended the former player of Juventus.
Remains that the deposed president had in fact voted for Qatar in 2010. “I’m for the expansion, the development of football. That an arab muslim has the world Cup, it was better than giving it to others”, he justified.
Since the awarding of the world Cup in Qatar, the numerous allegations of corruption have tarnished the image of the application. The dangerous working conditions on the construction sites of the stadiums have also not helped to improve the reputation of the Qatari.
“When you vote, you do not know that there are going to be deaths on the construction sites, defended Michel Platini. I voted for an arab country, as it was the several times they lost. They deserved to have it. When you vote, you are making a choice, according to your convictions.”
“I say for whom I vote, and I take full the mouth”
But, according to the triple winner of the Ballon d’or, it is possible to go back. “The only thing that I have said, is that if there has been corruption, it will be necessary to remove the world Cup in Qatar. This would be the responsibility of FIFA”
And to conclude: “I voted Morocco for the 2006 World cup and had said to Chirac. I lost. I voted Italy to the Euro 2012 and I lost. I’ve always said who I was voting. You want transparency journalists? I say for whom I vote, and I take full the mouth…”
Created: 23.06.2020, 07: 45
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