UEFA complain to FIFA over Michel Platini "smear campaign"

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 16 August 2015

UEFA urges FIFA to investigate the distribution of material from its headquarters which paints an unflattering image of Michel Platini.

European football governing body UEFA has lodged a complaint with FIFA regarding an "alleged smear campaign" against boss Michel Platini.

It comes after German newspaper Welt am Sonntag published an anonymous document entitled 'Platini: Skeletons in the closet'.

UEFA now want FIFA to investigate the distribution of the material from their headquarters, which paints an unflattering image of the former France international.

"I can confirm that UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino sent a letter of complaint to FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke," a UEFA spokesman said.

"We have asked Fifa to investigate the origin of this article because we are concerned by the reports of an alleged smear campaign against the UEFA president.

"Copies of this letter were also sent to [Fifa's independent chief ethics investigator] Cornel Borbely and [chairman of Fifa's audit and compliance committee] Domenico Scala for ethics and transparency reasons."

Platini is in the running to replace Sepp Blatter as top boss of world football's governing body next year.