Platini: FA must back up vote-buying claims
KAUNAS - UEFA's Michel Platini has backed FIFA in calling for the English FA to give evidence to back up ex-chairman David Triesman's allegations that four executive committee members sought favours in return for votes.
Triesman told a British parliamentary inquiry on Tuesday that world football governing body FIFA executive committee members Jack Warner, Ricardo Teixeira, Nicolas Leoz and Worawi Makudi had sought incentives to vote for England's unsuccessful bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
"FIFA asked for proof from the English FA and Lord Triesman ... I hope the English will provide proof, it's easy to say allegations without proof," UEFA president Platini, who is also a member of FIFA's Executive Committee, told journalists during a visit to the Baltic state's football academy on Friday.
Turning his attention to the discrimination row that has shaken French football, Platini said the "excessive words" of French football federation (FFF) technical director Francois Blaquart had spawned the outcry.
Members of the federation discussed the idea of enforcing limits on black and Arab players in youth academies at a meeting in November.
The meeting was originally meant to discuss the large number of players in France with dual nationality who eventually choose to play for their country of origin.
A twin inquiry by the Sports Ministry and the FFF found no evidence that racial discrimination, which is illegal in France, had been enforced but Blaquart, who had been suspended pending the findings, could now face further action including dismissal.
"I don't think that it's wrong and it's normal that the national technical director made the debate on what will be good for French football but his words were excessive and that's why we speak about discrimination," said Platini, president of European football's ruling body.
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"The debate for me is logical though he spoke very, very excessively."
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