European football's governing body, despite receiving a
suspension from FIFA.
UEFA has backed embattled president Michel Platini following
the 90-day ban handed to the former France international by
FIFA's Ethics Committee.
Platini has been named as a person of interest to Swiss
prosecutors in the criminal investigation launched against
outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
On Thursday, world football's governing body handed
provisional 90-day suspensions to Blatter, general secretary
Jerome Valcke and Platini.
The Frenchman had declared himself a candidate to replace
Blatter as the head of the global game when the FIFA congress
is held to elect a new president next February.
Despite the mounting controversy, ex-Juventus star Platini
remains in charge of UEFA, with the organisation releasing a
statement late on Thursday offering him their full support.
They also announced an emergency meeting of
UEFA's Executive Committee will be held on October 15, as well
as a gathering of all 54 member associations on the same day.
Spanish football federation president Angel Maria Villar is in line
to take over from Platini should the 60-year-old be stood down
in the wake of the meeting next week.
"The UEFA Executive Committee saw no need, at this moment in
time, to invoke Article 29(5) of the UEFA Statutes, pursuant to
which the highest-ranking Vice-President of UEFA may step in
to assume the powers and duties of the President in his
absence," UEFA's statement said.
"This is because the UEFA Executive Committee is aware that
the UEFA President will immediately take all necessary steps to
appeal the decision of the FIFA Ethics Committee to clear his
name.
"Furthermore, the UEFA Executive Committee stated that there
must be a very rapid final decision on this matter before the
relevant bodies, in the interests of both justice and football.
"Finally, the UEFA Executive Committee expressed its full
confidence in UEFA President, Michel Platini, and stands fully
behind him."
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