Speaking publicly for 1st time since Blatter resigned, Platini says he won't talk about FIFA

PARIS – UEFA President Michel Platini opened his first news conference since Sepp Blatter announced his decision to resign by saying he would not talk about FIFA.

Platini, a former France great and a leading candidate to replace Blatter as FIFA president, spoke Wednesday after meeting with French President Francois Hollande.

"This news conference was scheduled way before recent events involving FIFA. Many of you have come here to question me about these events, about FIFA and about my future," the 59-year-old Platini said. "I will do that when the time is right. But this is not the time or the place."

Platini was in Paris for a news conference about next year's European Championship, which will be played in France.

FIFA has been plunged into crisis since U.S. authorities indicted 14 people on corruption charges ahead of last month's FIFA congress. Seven of them were arrested in Zurich.

Blatter then won a fifth, four-term as FIFA president on May 29, but four days later announced his decision to resign. He said elections for a successor would be held sometime between December and March.

Platini, a former Blatter confidant turned adversary, would need help from outside his European power base to win a FIFA election. But he steered clear of any campaigning on Wednesday.

"We are here to talk about Euro 2016," said Platini, who scored nine goals for France when it won the European title on home soil in 1984. "This is an important step toward Euro 2016 and I don't want the events surrounding FIFA to undermine this."