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Michel Platini has decided to remain
in charge of UEFA
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Michel Platini has ruled out
standing against Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency and will instead run for
re-election as UEFA president, Press Association reports.
The 59-year-old Frenchman told UEFA
delegates in Monaco that he had decided against standing for the FIFA post as
he wants to continue his work as head of European football's ruling body.
Platini's announcement was confirmed
by delegates after the meeting.
European FIFA executive committee
member Michel D'Hooghe told Press Association Sport: "It was a very
positive message - he said he would like to continue as UEFA president and I am
pleased that it means that this time there will be no battle between FIFA and
UEFA."
Platini told a news conference in
Monaco he felt he should stay with UEFA.
He said: "Now is not my time,
not yet. I want to complete what I have started and I want to go to the end of
my contract with UEFA and if the federations wish I will still have a few years
before this contract comes to an end.
"I have thought long and hard
but I never managed to convince myself that I had to go to FIFA.
"I chose from the heart and on
the basis of my passionate feeling."
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FIFA
Headquarters, Zurich (Photo creidt: http://www.football-new.com/index.htm)
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Platini said he would not only
strongly defend the number of World Cup places Europe receive, he would argue
for them to be increased from 13 to 15 for the next tournament in Russia in
2018 as the current world champions are from Europe.
He said: "Whether it is the
number of places given to European teams at the World Cup, defending the
sovereignty of the European associations, the international match calendar or
solidarity revenue: European football knows that it can count on me to be at
the forefront on these issues.
"Because what matters here is not me or my
feelings. What matters is the future of UEFA, and of football. UEFA and
European football have never been as strong and powerful as they are today and
I have every intention of guarding this supremacy."
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