Michel Platini, former UEFA president and legendary French footballer, has been arrested over the awarding of the 2022 World Cup.
Mediapart, a French publication, reports that Platini was taken into the custody of the Anti-Corruption Office of the Judicial Police (OCLCIFF), on Tuesday morning as part of the investigation into the awarding of the World Cup to Qatar.
He was elected in 2007 and served as president until 2015 when he was banned by the FIFA Ethics Committee.
In December 2010 Qatar was controversially revealed as the hosts of the 2022 World Cup.
A number of issues have arise regarding the decision to select the peninsular Arab country, including human rights concerns and the status of homosexuality among others.
In 2014 Platini admitted holding a secret meeting with the disgraced football official Mohamed Bin Hammam, shortly before casting his vote for Qatar.
A source close to the former UEFA chief at the time told the Telegraph that Platini said he had met the Qatar football official for breakfast in a hotel in Switzerland, just a few days before the controversial decision was made.
It was further alleged that the two men had met 30 to 50 times, as both sat on the decision-making committee for FIFA.
Since the vote in favour of Qatar, of the 24 members of the executive committee (comex) of FIFA on that date, 16 have been struck off, suspended or remain under investigation.
Platini was banned by FIFA in 2015 along with former president Sepp Blatter for eight years following a verdict from the governing body’s ethics committee.
During his playing career, Platini led France to a third-placed finish at the Mexico 1986 FIFA World Cup.
He also helped Juventus win the European Cup (now Champions League) in 1985 when they beat Liverpool 1-0 in the final.
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