Sheikh Salman could step aside to reignite Platini's bid to become next Fifa boss
Fifa executive committee member says Asian football head Sheikh Salman would step aside in Fifa top job race if Frenchman is cleared
Michel Platini's damaged bid to become Fifa president was boosted yesterday when it emerged one of his main rivals could step aside if he was cleared to run in the election.
European football boss Platini's ambition to succeed Sepp Blatter is on hold as he serves a 90-day suspension.
The ban was imposed over a "disloyal payment" of US$2 million Platini received from Blatter on behalf of Fifa in 2011 for consultancy work carried out years before.
He paid all the tax for this [the payment] and is not hiding something. If he has the right to run we will support him
But the Uefa chief's chances improved with the news that Asian football head Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa could withdraw from the contest should Platini emerge unscathed from the investigation.
That exit strategy was raised by Fifa executive committee member Sheikh Ahmed al-Fahad al-Sabah in an interview with Olympic watchdog website insidethegames.biz.
Sheikh Ahmed, a prominent International Olympic Committee member who is close to Sheikh Salman, said: "I was a supporter for Michel, I still am a supporter for Michel.
