PARIS/ZURICH: Gianni Infantino has repeated his assurance that Michel Platini had been in full agreement that the then general secretary of European federation UEFA should be proposed for the FIFA presidency in late 2015 writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Platini had just been suspended by the world federation pending an inquiry into the infamous $2m ‘disloyal payment’ from FIFA which had been authorised by its own then president Sepp Blatter.

At the time Platini had been favourite to move from Nyon to Zurich to succeed the departing Blatter as head of the world governing body.

UEFA’s executive committee decided that Infantino should be put forward for the top FIFA job in case Platini were not cleared in time.

Hence, as Infantino explained in an emailed question-and-answer with Paris daily paper L’Equipe, he and a UEFA vice-president – not named but understood to have been Spain’s Angel Maria Villar –  met Platini.

The former France captain, top scorer and later manager, had told friends that he believes Infantino betrayed him.

However Infantino told L’Equipe: “I went to see him in person. We discussed the situation, my candidacy and the fact that I would withdraw the minute his situation was cleared up. I came to ask him his opinion and his agreement.

“He gave me his agreement.”

Infantino, asked if he understood Platini feeing betrayed by his old No2, said: “Frankly, no . . . until the revelation about this payment authorised by Joseph Blatter I was, along with everyone else, fully preparing for Michel’s campaign to become president of FIFA.

“This news [of the payment] was as if the sky had fallen in. Everyone was amazed, me as much as all the others . . . but there was no reason to accept conspiracy theories, created without any evidence.”

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