Former FIFA president and French soccer superstar, Michel Platini, looks exhausted after being questioned in Paris. (Image via: Euronews)

World Cup Corruption Investigation, Former FIFA President Detained

PARIS - Giving the honor for a country to host the prestigious FIFA World Cup should be a historical honor of a country. Nonetheless, what if the decision had been stained by corruption? That is what is currently happening to the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup. In 2010, Qatar won the bid to host the world-level of soccer tournament in 2022, beating bids from Australia, S. Korea, USA, and Japan.

Nonetheless since 3 years ago, Parquet National Financier (PNF), a French agency dealing with corruption, has been investigating corruption allegation and mastermind behind the choosing of Qatar to host World Cup.

Their investigation picked Michel Platini, a former FIFA president who led FIFA for 8 years (2007-2015) before succeeded by Gianni Infantino in 2016. On Tuesday (18/6), Platini was taken into custody in Nanterre, western Paris, to be questioned about his involvement in the corruption crime.

This was not the first case for Michel Platini. In late 2015, he and Sepp Blatter were found guilty for £1.3 million worth of “disloyal payment”. Due to this, Platini was banned from any football organization and activity until 2023. Currently, he is serving his 4th years. Nonetheless, in an appeal, the ban was reduced to 4 years, which means Platini’s ban will end this year.

The detaining raises questions from the whole world of how Qatar, a small yet rich country, could be picked to host World Cup, despite their inexperience in hosting sports tournament? In addition, certain human rights group condemn Qatari government policies regarding LGBT, and the amount of workers killed in the process of preparing for World Cup 2022. Despite all of these commotions, the decision to let Qatar host the 2022 World Cup remains the same.

Today, after series of questions by PNF, Platini was released from the custody, claiming that he was free from all suspicions.

Source: https://www.theweek.co.uk/101815/michel-platini-detained-over-qatar-world-cup-bid