UEFA yet to receive Sir Dave Richards’ apology after Doha gaffe

By Andrew Warshaw in Istanbul

March 22 – UEFA President Michel Platini today revealed he has still not received any official apology from Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards (pictured) following his outrageous claim that that FIFA and UEFA “stole” football from England.

Richards, who apologised straight after his gaffe at a security conference in Doha last week, was due to sign a cooperation agreement with UEFA in his capacity as chairman of the European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL) during the UEFA Congress here in Istanbul.

But he was conspicuous by his absence.

“I read in an English media outlet he was going to send an email – maybe the email got lost in the corridors of UEFA but I never saw it,” said Platini of the apparent apology.

“What he said [in Doha] was slightly surprising because I know the tactical intuitions of Mr Richards.

“He said football was stolen from England and that a gang has done this.

“We are not a gang at UEFA and the English are so generous they have given football to the entire planet.

“Football now belongs to the whole world and I want to thank England for their gift to the world.”

In the end the so-called Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the EPFL and UEFA was instead signed by Sergey Pryadkin (pictured left), President of the Russian Premier League.

“I don’t know the reasons that motivated the President of the EPFL not to come,” said Platini (pictured right).

“What was important was to have the contract with the EPFL signed.”

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