FIFA president Infantino 'must go', says ex-UEFA boss Platini

PARIS, AUG 31: French football great Michel Platini said on Sunday FIFA president Gianni Infantino "must go" following the scandals that have rocked world football's governing body.

The 56-year-old Infantino has been under fire since his aborted plan to bring private investment into FIFA events, such as the World Cup.

He was also lambasted over a number of controversies during the recently-ended World Cup in North America.

"Economic affairs are one thing but Infantino has failed because he is the guarantor of the rules of the game and he didn't respect them," former UEFA president Platini told Canal+.

Platini hit out at the so-called hydration breaks at the World Cup, which often lasted as much as four minutes and were used by the host broadcaster for advertisements.

He also pointed to the half-time show during the final which largely overran the required maximum of 15 minutes, and the furore around FIFA suspending the red card ban given to American forward Folarin Balogun following a phone call made by US President Donald Trump to Infantino.

"The ad breaks are not in the rules, the 30-minute half-time break in the final is not in the rules, and the red card, that's the worst," said Platini.

"He's the guarantor (of the rules), he doesn't respect them, he must go," added Platini about Infantino, who was UEFA's secretary general under the Frenchman's leadership.    �"AFP