ZURICH: The man who wrote the ‘dirty tricks’ document deriding Michel Platini has quit world federation FIFA writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Thomas Renggli, a FIFA spokesman confirmed, resigned on September 1 after European federation complained about an “alleged smear campaign” against Platini.

UEFA’s French president is favourite to succeed Sepp Blatter at the head of the world game after an extraordinary congress next February 26.

The European federation had asked world football’s governing body to explain the apparent distribution from its headquarters of a document entitled ‘Platini: Skeletons in the closet’ and had raised the issue with FIFA’s ethics investigator.

The article was sent anonymously to several media outlets including the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag which was first to report it had been written by Thomas Renggli, a former editor of the world federation’s weekly e-magazine.

The document was entitled ‘Platini: Skeletons in the Closet’ and questioned his credibility as a potential FIFA candidate especially considering his support for the controversial Qatar World Cup hosting.

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