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Euro 2016 SAS president "disappointed" by Platini's absence to Final Draw

Xinhua, December 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

Jacques Lambert, president of Euro 2016 organizing committee, told a press conference here on Friday that he's disappointed by the absence of UEFA president Michel Platini.

The Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) announced earlier Friday that the 90-day suspension imposed on Platini by FIFA's Ethic Committee will not be lifted.

Effective since Oct. 7 and expiring on Jan. 5 next year, the suspension prohibits Platini from taking part in any kind of football-related activities on both a national and international level.

Due to his suspension, the 60-year-old Frenchman, who's given the ban for allegations of a "disloyal" payment made to him by outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter, can't attend Saturday's Euro 2016 Final Draw in Paris.

When asked if he was disappointed by Platini's absence, Lambert told reporters: "Yes. He's been part of the organisation committee since the start. He may have lost this battle, but he hasn't lost the war."

"I was a member of the investigative chamber (the Ethics Commission) for 6 months. I resigned for a very simple reason -- I was torn between the duty of confidentiality and duty of friendship, and I chose the duty of friendship," added Lambert.

The CAS panel said maintaining the ban which was placed two months ago in light of allegations of corruption including a suspicious payment between Platini and his FIFA counterpart Sepp Blatter did not cause irreparable harm to Platini.

Despite the decision, CAS did order FIFA not to extend the current suspension by any period up to 45 days, as this would "constitute an undue and unjustified restriction of Platini's right of access to justice, cause irreparable harm to him and also tip the balance of interest test in his favor." Endit