Platini’s Fifa hopes in doubt

Uefa’s members remain split over their support for Michel Platini with some associations backing an alternative candidate such as Holland’s Michael van Praag be put forward for the Fifa presidential election.

Platini’s lawyer yesterday addressed a meeting of Uefa’s 54 associations but failed to address the issue of a lack of written agreement for a £1.35m (€2m) payment to him from Fifa president Sepp Blatter which has led to the pair being provisionally banned.

Uefa’s members issued a joint statement calling for a “rapid decision” by mid-November on the Fifa ethics case involving Platini and supporting the suspended Uefa president’s right to a fair hearing.