Michel Platini will not run against Sepp Blatter for Fifa presidency

Uefa president reportedly told officials at a closed-door board meeting on Thursday that he will not be a candidate in Fifa’s election in May.

Michel Platini is considered a protege to Sepp Blatter when it comes to football politics. Lionel Cironneau / AP Photo

MONACO // Michel Platini will not challenge Sepp Blatter for the Fifa presidency.

Geir Thorsteinsson, the Iceland football association president, said Platini told officials at a closed-door Uefa meeting on Thursday that he will not be a candidate in Fifa’s election in May.

Thorsteinsson said “we went for peace. I think it is the logical decision”.

Platini was expected to avoid a contest against Blatter after a successful World Cup strengthened the Fifa president’s position.

The Uefa president has long been favoured to succeed Blatter, his mentor in football politics.

Blatter, who is 78 and has led Fifa since 1998, pledged to fight for a fifth term after previously promising Uefa he would step aside in 2015.

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