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UEFA president Platini re-elected unopposed

Updated: 2011-03-23 10:00

(Agencies)

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UEFA president Platini re-elected unopposed

UEFA President Michel Platini reacts during a news conference after the 35th Ordinary UEFA Congress in Paris March 22, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

PARIS - Michel Platini was re-elected unopposed as president of European soccer's governing body at the UEFA Congress on Tuesday while FIFA counterpart Sepp Blatter announced he would not stand again after 2015.

Platini, whose first four years were highlighted by the Financial Fair Play scheme designed to stop clubs from spending their way to oblivion, was the only candidate to register for the UEFA election before December's deadline.

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His term will expire in 2015 when Blatter, president of world soccer's ruling body since 1998, will call it a day providing he beats Mohamed Bin Hammam in the presidential election this June.

Platini, re-elected by acclamation and visibly moved after being given a standing ovation, would not comment on whether he planned to run for FIFA presidency in 2015.

"Ask me in three years' time," he told reporters with a Gallic shrug.

The former France playmaker also declined to say whether he favoured Blatter or his Qatari opponent for the FIFA presidency.

UEFA, with 53 member associations out of 208, is a key player within world soccer's ruling body with each national association having one vote in FIFA's presidential election.

"I don't control the European votes. We will see whether European football will support one or the other candidate," said Platini.

"There are two candidates - I'm going to think about this, consult with my vice-presidents and the executive committee and see what position we will adopt."

Four members of the UEFA executive committee were re-elected and were joined by three newcomers including former goalkeeper Borislav Mihaylov, the Bulgarian Football Union president who captained his country to the semi-finals of the 1994 World Cup.

Poland's Grzegorz Lato, top-scorer at the 1974 World Cup with seven goals and president of the Polish federation since 2008, failed to get elected.

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