‘A lot of noise for nothing,’ Michel Platini’s lawyer says as ex-UEFA boss released from custody
Former UEFA boss Michel Platini has been released from French custody on Wednesday after being questioned by police on alleged corruption during the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
The 63-year-old was reportedly questioned for 15 hours at the anti-corruption office of the judicial police in Paris.
“We don’t consider Michel Platini to be guilty of anything – neither yesterday, nor today, nor tomorrow. This is a closed case for us. The investigators wanted to hear him for purely technical questions,” Platini’s lawyer, William Bourdon, told journalists right after his client was released, adding that “a lot of noise was made for nothing.”
Platini stated that he was not arrested, but questioned as a witness by police, and said the range of topics they discussed included the Euro 2016 in France, the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and the 2020 World Cup in Qatar.
Also on rt.com Ex-UEFA president Platini in custody amid probe into the awarding of 2022 FIFA World Cup to Qatar“There were a lot of topics. So I peacefully answered all of this. Not that I knew why I was there in the first place… this is an old story I already answered,” Platini said.
So far, no charges have been brought against the former UEFA head, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
Platini’s detention was reportedly made in relation to suspected corruption, as the UEFA boss met with Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the current emir of Qatar, less than a month before FIFA awarded the 2022 World Cup hosting rights.
