Russia claims Platini has full support of Uefa

The Russian Sports Ministry says the Uefa executive committee has given its “full support” for suspended president Michel Platini.

Russian Football union president Vitaly Mutko, who is also Russia’s sports minister and a member of the Fifa executive committee, is attending the meetings at Uefa headquarters.

In the statement, the Russian ministry said during the UEFA executive committee meeting “all members … expressed absolute trust and full support” for Platini.

Platini and Fifa President Sepp Blatter were suspended for 90 days last week by Fifa ethics committee following an investigation into a 2011 payment to the former France captain. Both Blatter and Platini deny wrongdoing.

Platini is hoping to succeed Blatter, although any ethics committee-imposed ban from football would make it impossible for him to stand in next year’s presidential election.