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13 Stories on Michel Platini
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SI.com: Gabriele Marcotti: UEFA takes small, but logical step toward fiscal sanity

We knew it was coming sooner or later. Michel Platini, president of UEFA, had said as much. And now we're one step closer, after UEFA approved what it calls the "concept" of "financial fair play."

SI.com: Gabriele Marcotti: WADA's drug-testing code for soccer is inconsistent

FIFA and UEFA did something this week that not only was right and just but also took a fair amount of guts. They stood up to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and rejected its out-of-competition drug-testing rules.

SI.com: Gabriele Marcotti: Euro proposal is a case of the rich getting richer

A little more than a week ago, I was invited to a roundtable chat with UEFA president Michel Platini. One phrase stood out: "We need to reintroduce the concept of morality in football. We have to permit everybody to have a chance to win."

SI.com: World Soccer: Will credit crunch force Euro leagues into salary caps?

Michel Platini has been an eager advocate of the introduction of salary caps since his election as the president of UEFA. His idealism, as well as his power base among the smaller nations of Europe, makes him a natural supporter of a scheme that might reduce the power of the giant clubs of England, Italy and Spain, and allow many more teams a realistic chance of winning trophies.

SI.com: Gabriele Marcotti:Financial meltdown puts focus on a big problem

Perhaps it was always going to take the meltdown of the financial markets to get the folks who run the game to take an interest in things like ownership and debt. Whatever the case may be, it's better late than never.

SI.com: Gabriele Marcotti: Instant replay may be a good idea, but it's a tricky one

Earlier this week, UEFA President Michel Platini and Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger got involved in a somewhat petty dispute over video replay and what Platini reportedly described as Wenger being a man "of business," whereas Platini is a man "of football."

SI.com: Gavin Hamilton: Van Basten on what's next for him, Dutch soccer

Marco van Basten came up short of his dream ending as Netherlands manager when Russia upset the Oranje in the quarterfinals of the 2008 European Championship. The former Dutch legend decided long before the Euros that this would be his last stint as national-team manager. I spoke with van Basten just before the tournament about what's next for him and Dutch soccer.

SI.com: Soccer America: Is Ruud Gullit the man to revive the L.A. Galaxy?

There are more pounds around the middle and less hair up top these days as perhaps the most powerful yet graceful player ever produced in Europe slides toward his 46th birthday, his playing days long past and an oft-aborted coaching career in its fourth phase.

Carrying a torch for tradition

The Olympic flame on Monday began its 34-day journey around the world ahead of the 2008 Beijing Games. Here are some facts about the centuries-old traditions behind the relay and its modern development.

SI.com: Gavin Hamilton: Platini's drastic Champions League plan takes shape

The draw for the group stage of the Champions League takes place on Thursday in Monte Carlo as the movers and shakers of European soccer congregate for their annual get-together, organized by governing body UEFA.

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