UEFA President Demands "Respectable" FIFA Upon Re-Election

(ATR) Michel Platini says he wants a "strong FIFA that is respectable and respected", as he is re-elected by acclamation for a third four-year term at the UEFA Congress.

The 59-year-old appeared to take aim at Sepp Blatter’s FIFA 17-year leadership that has become embroiled in various bribery and corruption scandals in recent years.

"I want to say that we love FIFA deeply, Europe's entire football community cares about FIFA. Precisely because we love and respect it that’s why we want it to be perfect," he told delegates from Europe’s 54 football federations.

"We are only demanding with people and institutions that we care about."

"We want a strong FIFA, respectable and respected, since it will always be football’s supreme authority."

The former France football star, who was first elected as UEFA chief in 2007, went on to defend UEFA’s position as one of the most powerful confederations amid the perception from some of the other regional bodies that it has an arrogant attitude.

"Certain people are perhaps trying to turn us against each other, seeking to divide and rule. They are trying to isolate the supposedly arrogant and selfish Europeans," he said.

"Again, do not believe everything that you hear."

He added: "Yes, we know that we are in a privileged position. Yes, we know that we make mistakes and are not necessarily any better than anyone else.

"However, you should know that we are willing to work with you, hand in hand, for the good of world football, for the good of the 209 national associations worldwide, and for the good of FIFA."

The Frenchman thanked the FAs for putting their trust in him to serve their interests until 2019.

"I am proud to be your team-mate, proud to be the captain of this winning team and proud of our achievements," he said.

"And I am excited to be taking on the challenges that await us over the next four years.

"I know that I can count on you. And you know that you can count on me," Platini added. "It is the closeness of that bond between us that makes us strong and allows us to take these bold and courageous decisions – decisions which always pay off.

"This mutual trust, this participatory democracy, is our hallmark, our trademark, and we will continue to work this way over the next four years. You have my word on that."

Platini noted that presentations from three FIFA presidential candidates would take place, confirming that Blatter had declined, which he said he understood and respected. Earlier in the day, Blatter spoke to the congress in his role as head of football’s international federation.

In his opening address on Tuesday, Platini raised concerns about what he termed a "worrying development", a resurgence of football violence. He said there the rising trend of "nationalism and extremism" in stadiums that had to be tackled.

He said UEFA was doing what it could with the limited powers available to the body and called for public authorities to do more to confront the problem, "so that we can avoid reliving the dark days of a not-so-distant past – a past where hooligans and all manner of fanatics called the shots in certain European stadiums."

Reported byMark Bisson

Home page photo: Getty Images

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