In the latest edition of ‘Fifa is so bat shit crazy, nobody could make this stuff up’, Michel Platini has spoken out about the 2-million Swiss francs that saw him thrown under the bus with all the other Fifa slimeballs.

The Uefa president, who has been suspended for 90 days while Swiss authorities investigate him and outgoing Fifa president Sepp Blatter, says the payment was merely a gentleman’s agreement. Platini worked for Blatter as an advisor between 1999 to 2002 and said the money under investigation was for this time. Platini also alleges that prior to the 1998 World Cup, Blatter wanted him to take over the presidency with Blatter becoming secretary.

“I wasn’t interested,” Platini said in an interview with French daily Le Monde. “I was focused on the World Cup and didn’t see myself as president.”

A few months later, the pair met yet again and Blatter asked Platini to be his advisor, leaving the amount of money he would be paid open to discussion.

“I said ‘a million’. ‘A million what?’ ‘Whatever you want: roubles, pounds, dollars.’ He said, ‘Okay 1-million Swiss francs a year.’ Incredible though it may sound, that’s what happened.”

From 1998 to 2002, Platini worked on “reforming the international match calendar” and on “the Goal Programme – a Fifa assistance and support scheme for the poorest associations”. He also insists that it was “never about the money”.

“It’s never been about money for me,” said Platini. “I was an unpaid chairman of the World Cup organising committee. Before that, I turned down the opportunity to go to Real Madrid even though they had handed me a cheque and told me to add as many zeros as I liked.

“When I said to Blatter ‘a million of whatever you want’, I was leaving it up to him to decide how much he wanted to give me.”

A formal contract for the work was never signed, but Platini has brushed it all aside.

“I haven’t had a lawyer or agent to negotiate for me for a long time. It was a gentleman’s agreement. He was going to be president of Fifa. I trusted him. I’ve since learned that under Swiss law, an oral contract is as valid as a written one.”

But Platini was only paid the fee in 2011 and he puts that little issue down to “cash flow” problems with the world’s governing body.

But those who have been following the Fifa fallout will know exactly what the payment is being investigated for. The awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar has been the cause of much consternation. Serious allegations of vote-buying, which is now the subject of a Swiss investigation, have been hanging over the heads of all involved. The voting took place in December 2010 and Platini admitted that he met with the now banned-for-life Qatari football official Mohammed bin Hammam. Platini shrugged off the meeting as something two people who sit on Fifa’s executive committee would do and later admitted that he had voted for Qatar. So far, nobody has any concrete evidence to tie ‘corruption’ to the Qatar voting, but the Swiss investigation might yet surprise a few people.

Platini does not think he will be one of the people who are surprised and insists the only thing he is upset about is being dragged into this whole sordid mess.

“I don’t think I’ve lost many votes and those who know me know I can look myself in the mirror. I’m bullet-proof.

“It’s shameful to be dragged through the mud like this. I have been suspended for three months, but what annoys me the most is being tarred with the same brush as the others. My lawyers are following the Fifa proceedings and will take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if needs be.”

The three-time Ballon d’Or winner also insists that he will stand for the presidency next year. His 90-day suspension can be extended for an additional 45 days, which means it will end just six days before Fifa’s presidential election next year.

“I am the only one who can ensure that Fifa again becomes the home of football,” Platini said. “But, whenever I approach the sun, like Icarus, it burns everywhere.” DM

Photo: A file picture dated 28 May 2015 of UEFA President Michel Platini speaking during a press conference in Zurich, Switzerland. EPA/WALTER BIERI.