Michel Platini withdraws his candidacy for FIFA presidency race

Michel Platini

Michel Platini has formally withdrawn his candidacy for the FIFA presidency and said he will dedicate himself to overturning his eight-year ban. Platini, who was suspended by FIFA's ethics committee last month, told The Associated Press the deadline for the Feb. 26 election is too short and renders his candidacy impossible.
"I'm withdrawing from the race for FIFA presidency," Platini said. "The timing is not good for me. I don't have the means to fight on equal terms with the other candidates. I have not been given the chance to play the game. Bye bye FIFA, bye bye FIFA presidency."
Platini's bid to succeed Sepp Blatter and take football's top job had been put on hold because of a payment he received from his former mentor back in 2011. Blatter and Platini were banned for eight years last month for conflict of interest in a 2 million Swiss franc payment deal that is also the subject of a criminal investigation in Switzerland. Platini said he still hopes to clear his name at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The 60-year-old Frenchman was not authorised to bypass FIFA's appeal procedure, which says he will only be able to turn to CAS once FIFA's appeal committee will have ruled on the case.