|
 The former French international, who has been UEFA president since
2007 and a FIFA executive committee member since 2002, said he
wanted to "to give FIFA back the dignity and the position it
deserves."
Platini said he had written to the 209 member associations of FIFA,
who each hold one vote in the presidential election, to inform them
of his decision.
"This was a very personal, carefully considered decision, one in
which I weighed up the future of soccer alongside my own future," he
said in the letter, according to a statement published on the UEFA
website (www.uefa.org).
"I was also guided by the esteem, support and encouragement that
many of you have shown me."
"There are times in life when you have to take your destiny into
your own hands."
Blatter was re-elected for a fifth term as president on May 29, but
four days later said he would lay down his mandate amid the worst
crisis in FIFA's history. Blatter will remain as president until the
election on Feb. 26.
[to top of second column] |
"During this last half-century or so, FIFA has only had two
presidents," said Platini.
"Recent events force the supreme governing body of world soccer to
turn over a new leaf and rethink its governance."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
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