(Reuters) – UEFA will not schedule a presidential election to replace banned Michel Platini until the Frenchman’s appeal has been decided, the European soccer body said in a statement on Friday.

Platini, who had been strong favourite to succeed Sepp Blatter as FIFA president, was banned for eight years from all football activities by the world body’s ethics committee last month.

“The UEFA Executive Committee decided there will be no UEFA presidential election scheduled until the sports justice appeal bodies, including potentially the Court of Arbitration for Sport, have taken a decision regarding Michel Platini’s suspension,” UEFA said.

“We hope his name is cleared and that he can return to the European football family as quickly as possible.”

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by John Stonestreet)