The former president of UEFA and head of European football has been arrested over the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

Iran Press/Europe: The former France captain Michel Platini, who was part of the FIFA tournament organizing committee, was taken into custody by French officers as part of an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Office of the Judicial Police (OCLCIFF), The Telegraph reported.

Platini was head of European football from January 2007, when he replaced the late Lennart Johansson, but stepped down in 2015 after being banned from football for six years, which was later reduced to four after appealing the sanction to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Frenchman was arrested on Tuesday morning in Nanterre, a western suburb of Paris, according to French investigative outlet Mediapart. His ban by a FIFA ethics committee expired in March this year, but investigators leading the fight against corruption are examining how Qatar won the right to host the next World Cup.

Qatar was controversially awarded the right to host the 2022 World Cup over competing nations South Korea, America, Australia, and Japan in 2010. It was announced as the host at the same time as Russia won the right to stage the 2018 tournament. 208/211/213

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