ZURICH: Michel Platini wants FIFA to focus more on football and less on politics if he is elected its next president.

Sepp Blatter announced his intention to step down as president of the world federation in June and Platini, French president of European governing body UEFA, is favourite to succeed him at an extraordinary elective congress next February 26.

Ahead of a two-day meeting of the executive committee meeting in Zurich, Platini said: “We have to care about the game, not politics. With me, there won’t be politics. With me, it’s about football, not politics.”

Platini said one of the aims of the next president is to “restore the image of FIFA.” He has always insisted that FIFA itself is not corrupt, only some senior individuals.

He added: “A good FIFA is like a good referee, nobody speaks about it. There are a lot of good people in the executive committee. It’s just some that have been corrupt. If you do something wrong, you will be taken care of.”

Platini offered a confused recolletion of his own role in the 2018-2022 World Cup award confusion.

He acknowledged that he “might have told” United States officials that he would vote for them. However, after a November 2010 lun hosted by then French Presideny Nicolas Sarkozy abnd attended by senior Qatari officials, he switched his vote to Qatar.

Platini said: “Sarkozy never asked me to vote for Qatar, but I knew what would be good.”

WORLD SOCCER

www.WorldSoccer.com

#####################