UEFA president Michel Platini backs down, returns luxury watch

UEFA president Michael Platini has returned the luxury watch handed out as a gift before this summer's FIFA World Cup.

UEFA president Michel Platini has returned the luxury watch handed out as a gift before this summer's FIFA World Cup, the UEFA media director confirmed to Die Welt.

Platini had said last month that he wouldn't return the watch since he doesn't give back gifts. The FIFA Ethics Committee had a deadline of Oct. 24 for officials to return their watches or risk facing disciplinary action.

The watches were originally included in gift bags given to members of the FIFA Executive Committee, a representative from all 32 teams that qualified for the World Cup and other South American soccer officials at the pre-World Cup congress.

While Platini didn't originally plan on returning the watch, he said he would donate an amount equivalent to the value of the watch to charity instead. The watches are valued at between $25,000 and $27,000.

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Platini has found himself at odds with FIFA before. He's announced his opposition to FIFA president Sepp Blatter running again for the presidency next year and recently called for the report about FIFA's investigation into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to be made public.

- Ben Estes