Platini to know his fate soon

The Court of Arbitration for Sport will announce a decision on whether Michel Platini's suspension from football should be lifted on Friday.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will announce a decision on whether Michel Platini's suspension from football should be lifted on Friday at about 0900 GMT, the tribunal said.

The Fifa vice president appeared before CAS judges on Wednesday with his lawyers to plead the case for him to be allowed to return so that he can take part in Fifa's election campaign for a new president.

Platini has been named in a Swiss criminal investigation into Fifa leader Sepp Blatter. Platini received a two million Swiss franc ($2 million) payment from Fifa which is under investigation.

Both men, who were suspended for 90 days by Fifa, deny any wrongdoing. But Platini's lawyers say Fifa's ethics watchdog wants him banned for life.

A CAS statement said that on Thursday “the CAS Panel in charge of the arbitration heard the parties' arguments regarding the temporary lifting of Mr Platini's provisional 90-day suspension. The CAS intends to announce the Panel's decision at around 10.00am on Friday.” – AFP