RFEF President Angel Maria Villar will not step in for Michel Platini after UEFA maintained it saw “no need, at this moment in time” to suspend its chief.
Platini, along with Sepp Blatter and Jerome Valcke, was given a 90-day ban by FIFA’s Ethics Committee on Thursday, with the former Juventus star alleged to have received an unsolicited payment from the head of world football.
Villar, UEFA’s highest-ranking Vice-President, was subsequently linked with replacing Platini on an interim basis, but the European governing body insists their man is innocent until proven guilty.
“In light of the events occurring today regarding UEFA President Michel Platini, the UEFA Executive Committee has taken the following decisions on 8 October,” read a statement on UEFA’s official website.
“An emergency meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee will be convened in Nyon on Thursday 15 October; in addition, all 54 member associations of UEFA will meet at UEFA headquarters on the same day.
“The UEFA Executive Committee saw no need, at this moment in time, to invoke Article 29(5) of the UEFA Statutes, pursuant to which the highest-ranking vice-president of UEFA may step in to assume the powers and duties of the President in his absence.
“This is because the UEFA Executive Committee is aware that the UEFA President will immediately take all necessary steps to appeal the decision of the FIFA Ethics Committee to clear his name. Furthermore, the UEFA Executive Committee stated that there must be a very rapid final decision on this matter before the relevant bodies, in the interests of both justice and football.
“Finally, the UEFA Executive Committee expressed its full confidence in UEFA President, Michel Platini, and stands fully behind him.”
