Nyon (Switzerland), June 3 (IANS) In view of “uncertain and unpredictable” developments surrounding football’s world governing body FIFA — including a surprise resignation-announcement by FIFA chief Sepp Blatter, a weekend meeting in Berlin of European football’s apex body was on Wednesday called off by UEFA president Michel Platini.
“It is with great concern that I, like most football fans around the world, have been following the daily developments regarding the investigations pertaining to FIFA corruption matters,” Platini said in a statement.
“Considering new information is revealed every day, I believe it is wiser to take time to assess the situation, so together we can take a position on this issue,” the UEFA chief observed.
“There will be other opportunities for us to meet in the coming weeks and by then hopefully more light will have been shed on this matter,” he said.
Platini had scheduled the weekend meeting to discuss the growing corruption scandal in FIFA that has already implicated nine top officials of the world football governing body.
Spanish club FC Barcelona will take on Italian champions Juventus in the final of the Champions League scheduled to take place in Berlin on June 6. A UEFA meeting was to have taken place on the sidelines of the match.
Amid a growing corruption scandal that appeared set to enmesh the powerful in the world football governing body, FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Tuesday announced he will step down as chief of the world football governing body.
Following Blatter’s resignation, Platini, a vocal critic of the outgoing FIFA president, has emerged as the top contender to take over the reins at the governing body.
The 79-year-old Blatter said on Tuesday that he will continue as chief until a new president can be elected, presumably in late 2015 or early 2016 through “an extraordinary FIFA Congress meeting”.
Among those implicated in the corruption scandal under investigation in the US are nine top FIFA officials, besides Blatter’s right-hand man, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke. Seven FIFA officials have already been arrested among the 14 indicted by the US Department of Justice on graft charges.
Blatter himself is under investigation by US authorities for financial misconduct.