FA gives conditional backing to Platini for FIFA president

Johannesburg, Oct.1 : The English Football Association has confirmed that they will back UEFA president Michel Platini to succeed Sepp Blatter as a FIFA president, but added that issues surrounding him need to be ‘fully examined’.Platini has been questioned over claims that he received a ‘disloyal payment’ of two million Swiss francs from Blatter in 2011.Speaking on the reasons for supporting Platini, the FA board had earlier said that the former is an excellent president of UEFA and he would bring same leadership qualities to FIFA if he succeeds Blatter, Sport24 reported.Blatter, who has been associated with FIFA since 40 years, will be replaced as president when his successor is announced after the elections on February 26, 2016.FIFA’s reputation has been severely tarnished after 14 sports marketing executives and football officials, including several from Zurich-based FI FA, were indicted by the United States in late May over corruption charges.