Michel Platini defends role of CAS in football

Platini is seen as the likely successor to Sepp Blatter as president of Fifa (REUTERS)

UEFA president Michel Platini has launched a passionate defence of the Court of Arbitration for Sport's role in football.

CAS today set a date of November 24 for their hearing into the dispute between UEFA and FC Sion, who have responded to their exclusion from the Europa League by mounting a campaign through the civil court in the Swiss canton of Vaud.

Platini is adamant that such an approach cannot be allowed to take root in football and that all such matters must be left in the hands of the CAS.

"If tomorrow you receive a red card on the pitch and you go to a judge because you cannot play in the next match, and the judge says you are right, what can we do?" Platini told French broadcaster RTL. "Everything must depend on the CAS.

"Today, we have in principle an independent disciplinary process in the federations, in UEFA, in FIFA. If nobody respects its decisions and goes before civil courts, now that justice today moves slowly, I ask myself how this could happen.

"What do we do if a club relegated to the second division go to a court because they have a first division budget and want to stay there?"

PA