Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko says Uefa chief Michel Platini does not deserve such a long suspension from football-related activities as he is being given.

On Monday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld the suspension of the UEFA president. The Russian minister released a statement after the judgement which CAS reduced from the initial six years to four and the penalty from 80,000 to 60,000 Swiss francs.

Mutko said on Monday:

“This is a complex situation and it is difficult to comment on the judicial body’s decision,” he started with.

“Platini is an outstanding person and a serious organiser. He has done much for UEFA.

“The causes of his suspension do not deserve such a decision on him. I can only regret about that,” Mutko said.

Platini and former FIFA president Sepp Blatter were both suspended for the period of 90 days from their posts as part of the investigation into corruption allegations against them in October last year. Among a number of corruption allegations, Blatter is suspected of a disloyal payment of 2 million Swiss francs to Platini in February 2011.

The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Fifa Ethics Committee tried both of them before suspending them for a period of eight years from all football-related activities aside cash fines. The appeal committee this year reduced it from eight to six years following applications from both of them.

Platini resigned when CAS didn’t upturn the ban. In Munich, the German Football Federation (DFB) has welcomed the resignation of Michel Platini as president of the European football body, which, according to its statement, clears the way for a new beginning in the organisation according to a statement released by the president.

The resignation was also described as a “logical consequence” of the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which reduced from six to four years the suspension of Platini, but did not lift it.