OMNISPORT 

The Football Association has announced it is still behind Michel Platini's candidacy for the FIFA presidency, but admit "events of recent days still need to be fully examined."

The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland recently opened proceedings against current FIFA president Sepp Blatter on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and misappropriation.

As part of the investigation, Swiss authorities have spoken to Platini over a $2 million payment he received from Blatter in 2011 for work the former carried out between 1999 and 2002.

The UEFA president released a statement on Wednesday confirming he had "cooperated fully" after being asked to provide information.

The Frenchman is set to stand to become FIFA president at the Extraordinary Congress next year, and FA chairman Greg Dyke revealed back in July that the English governing body would be backing his bid to succeed Blatter.

After a meeting at Wembley, the FA confirmed its stance had not changed despite recent developments in Switzerland. 

"In July, The FA Board decided unanimously to support Michel Platini if he intended to stand for the Presidency of FIFA," the statement read.

"We did so because we thought he was an excellent President of UEFA and could bring those same leadership qualities to FIFA. We are still of that view.

"However, events of recent days have raised a number of issues which do need to be fully examined. 

"We are following the ongoing investigation initiated by the Swiss attorney general with which Mr. Platini is cooperating with in full. 

"We also recognize that Mr Platini has contacted the FIFA ethics committee inviting them to look into the matter and to interview him."