Platini seeks EU protection for Uefa

Uefa president Michel Platini says he wants the European Union to protect his organisation against court cases brought by clubs.

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Rome – Uefa president Michel Platini says he wants the European Union to protect his organisation against court cases brought by clubs.

Platini is pushing through financial fair-play rules for European competition next season that will oblige teams to stop operating at a loss, or face exclusion.

And he wants protection from the European Commission (EC) in order to prevent teams excluded from European competition from suing Uefa.

Already this season Uefa has barred FC Sion from the Europa League for fielding ineligible players but the Swiss side are considering taking their case to the European courts.

Platini believes other teams could do likewise if excluded from European tournaments.

"I know the clubs will take us to court. It's the first thing they will do (if excluded)," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"That's why I went to (EC president Jose Manuel) Barroso and asked him for judicial protection.

"I told him: 'If you believe in what I'm doing for football, then you have to protect me, otherwise it's going to be difficult.'

"What will happen if an excluded club sues for 10 million (euros) in compensation and there are 10 teams excluded?

"Will Uefa have to close? He (Barroso) told me he would deal with it."

Turning his attentions to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Platini repeated his belief it should be held in the winter.

"Because you cannot play in summer. In 50 degrees (Celsius)? Good luck also to the fans," he said.

"It's better from November to December. Don't forget how many European leagues have a break in December. Many do, it's not just Italy and Spain."

Speaking about his former club, Platini said Juventus would be getting no help from Uefa in their bid to have Inter Milan stripped of the 2006 Serie A title.

Juventus were stripped of the 2005 and 2006 scudetto crowns for match-fixing, with the latter title then awarded to Inter.

The Turin giants, however, refuse to accept the sanction and have appealed both to Uefa and to the Italian Olympic Committee's National Court of Arbitration for Sport to intervene.

"They would have done better to save the money on the stamp," said Platini when asked if Juve had indeed sent him a letter regarding their appeal.

"Uefa and Fifa will never say anything about (national federations') internal affairs. We've nothing to say or do." – Sapa-AFP

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/platini-seeks-eu-protection-for-uefa-1.1143960

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