Platini cries foul at bin Hammam link

Uefa president Michel Platini claims attempts are being made to tarnish his image over his support for Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid.

Platini has written to The Daily Telegraph following a front page story headlined “Qatar World Cup 2022: France embroiled in corruption scandal”.

The report suggested Platini and controversial former Asian confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam, who is from Qatar, held a secret meeting where the Frenchman was lobbied to support the 2022 World Cup bid. Platini insists the meetings with Bin Hammam were to try to persuade the Uefa chief to stand for the Fifa presidency — and not connected to Qatar’s bid.