Michel Platini, one of the most high-profile figures entangled in global soccer’s ongoing corruption investigations, resigned from his position as head of European soccer on Monday after his bid to overturn a long suspension for unethical behavior was rejected.
Mr. Platini had been president of the Continent’s governing body, UEFA, since 2007 but was suspended last October for a conflict of interest after it was revealed that he had taken a $2 million payment from FIFA, the organization overseeing world soccer, in 2011. Sepp Blatter, the longtime president of FIFA, approved the payment – which was issued shortly before Mr.