Banned UEFA president Platini can attend Euro 2016

Michel Platini will be allowed to attend the European Championship.

The UEFA president is serving a four-year ban from soccer after being found guilty of ethics violations for taking a payment of USD 2 million from FIFA in 2011.

FIFA initially indicated the ban would prevent Platini from attending soccer matches in an official capacity, with the Frenchman only allowed in a stadium as an ordinary fan.

But interim UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis says the governing body received a clarification from FIFA ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert this afternoon, which said Platini can be invited to Euro 2016 games but that he cannot carry out official functions.

Theodoridis says UEFA’s executive committee will now decide whether to officially invite Platini to Euro 2016, which starts Friday.