By Andrew Warshaw
July 28 – Michel Platini could remain in temporary charge of UEFA even if he takes over from Sepp Blatter as FIFA president, Insideworldfootball has learned.
With Platini set to announce by the end of this week, possibly as early as tomorrow, that he will be a candidate to replace Blatter on February 26, it is understood UEFA will hold an electoral Congress, probably in early June, to choose the Frenchman’s successor if he moves on but that he would most likely do both jobs in the intervening weeks.
Following Saturday’s 2018 World Cup draw in St. Petersburg when he met a number of key FIFA figures, Platini is believed to have held further discussions with influential powerbrokers on the fringes of the Gold Cup in Philadelphia before making up his mind that he will stand for the top job.
In theory, if he were to win, stepping into his UEFA presidential shoes would be none other than Angel Villar Llona, the most controversial and old-school figure in the UEFA hierarchy.
Despite being widely reported as one of the five officials under investigation by FIFA’s ethics committee for their roles in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid process, Villar was recently promoted to UEFA’s first vice-president, making him the organisation’s most senior official behind Platini.
But rather than face the prospect of the long-time Spanish FA boss temporarily taking over, and the possible outcry that would cause, it is understood Platini has the option of remaining in his UEFA post and doubling up until an election to replace him.
That would most likely come in late May or early June rather than at UEFA’s scheduled annual Congress in March. UEFA rules stipulate presidential candidates must have a minimum three months to canvass. March would therefore be too early to elect a new president.
One suggestion being mooted in what is shaping up as a tangled web of legal and political complexity is bringing forward the date of UEFA’s scheduled March congress, when the composition of the executive committee is due to be broadened to include club representatives, and then holding an electoral one a few weeks later.
UEFA’s members are expected to discuss how best to proceed when they next meet in September. It is understood they would favour a permanent newly-elected president being in place by the time Euro 2016 begins on June 10. But despite the need for a quick solution, that could end up being slightly too early, especially since it is in Platini’s homeland. In which case any election would probably be called shortly after the finals.
Significantly, UEFA rules state that the organisation’s second in command only takes over presidential duties “in the absence” of the president himself. Insideworldfootball has learned the relevant article would not apply if Platini becomes FIFA president since he would not be absent in the true meaning of the word. In other words unavailable or in some way incapacitated.
Additionally, a separate UEFA statute provides that the term of office for the president ends only at the close of the Congress at which his successor is elected. Only if Platini formally resigns beforehand would Villar therefore automatically step into the role in the interim.
“Technically Platini can still be in office until he is replaced,” said one high-ranking UEFA source. “You are probably looking at the end of May, beginning of June. There has to be an electoral congress after giving people time to declare their candidacies. Logically until then, he would serve as both FIFA and UEFA president if he wins the FIFA presidency.”
How that would go down elsewhere is very much part of the conundrum. For Platini to occupy both roles may not be desirable from a governance perspective with other regions potentially crying foul over possible preferential treatment for the most powerful of FIFA’s six confederations.
It’s certainly an argument which is why UEFA will be keen to name a permanent successor at the earliest opportunity. Provided, of course, Platini ends up where Blatter is now.
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