The Telegraph reported yesterday that the Frenchman had met with disgraced Qatari Mohamed Bin Hammam, who is accused of making huge payments to secure support for Qatar's 2022 World Cup campaign, shortly before the vote in December 2010.

During this "secret meeting", the report suggests that Bin Hammam tried to lobby the Frenchman with the aim of getting him to support Qatar's bid for the tournament.

Following the revelation, the head of Europe's governing body for football wrote to the newspaper admitting he had indeed met with Bin Hammam, but claiming talks revolved around him running for the FIFA Presidency in 2011, not the Qatar World Cup bid.

"I find it astonishing that conversations with a fellow member of the FIFA Executive Committee could suddenly be transformed into a matter of state," he wrote.

"I have obviously met with Mohamed Bin Hammam on many occasions in 2010 as we were both members of the same FIFA Executive Committee since 2002.

"During those conversations with Bin Hammam, the topic of the discussions was my potential candidature for the FIFA Presidency.

"Bin Hammam was indeed trying to convince me to become a candidate for the 2011 FIFA Presidential elections.

Michel Platini admitted to meeting with Mohamed Bin Hammam but insisted the talks were over the 2011 FIFA Presidency not the World Cup bid ©Getty Images



Platini refused to run for the chief job in world football, with Bin Hammam instead going up against long-standing President Sepp Blatter.

The Qatari pulled out of the running, however, after FIFA prepared to suspend him for allegedly bribing Caribbean voters.

Despite surviving these claims through the Court of Arbitration for Sport due to lack of evidence, Bin Hammam was later banned for life by FIFA's Ethics Committee for "conflicts of interest" while President of the Asian Football Confederation.

Platini is the only member of the FIFA Executive Committee who publicly announced his votes for hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup, a point he made clear in his letter to The Telegraph.

"Additionally, I wish to reiterate that I am the only member of the FIFA Executive Committee who publicly stated for which bid I have voted - proof of my full transparency - and that no one ever dictates terms or conditions to me," said Platini, who voted for Russia and Qatar respectively.

"Unfortunately, I am no longer surprised by the circulation of unfounded rumours which aim at tarnishing my image, especially in such an important time for the future of football."

The investigation into alleged corruption over the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids is being led by Michael Garcia, with the Commission's findings set to be submitted to FIFA's Adjudicatory Chamber by the end of July.

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