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Infantino "to withdraw" the FIFA election if Platini stands

Xinhua, November 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino declared on Tuesday that he would stop running for FIFA presidency if Michel Platini, the UEFA president who is being investigated and suspended from all football activities, is allowed to stand.

"Platini is my president and I've worked with him for nine years. It's clear that I have his support, otherwise I would not be running," Infantino told Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport.

"And there is another thing that must be clarified," he added.

"My candidacy is not in opposition to Michel. If he is able to stand, I will withdraw. It's a simple principle of loyalty. But right now I am a candidate 100 per cent and I'm moving forward, not only for Europe but for world football."

Platini was questioned by Swiss investigators in September over a payment of 2 million Swiss frances (about 2 million U.S dollars) he received from FIFA in 2011 and has been suspended from all football activities for 90 days.

Seven candidates are in the running to succeed Sepp Blatter as FIFA president with the election scheduled for February 26 next year.

The other five candidates are Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, Musa Bility, Jerome Champagne, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and Tokyo Sexwale.

However, Asian football head Sheikh Salman could also step aside should Platini emerge unscathed from the investigation. Endi