Munich, May 10 (IANS): The German Football Federation (DFB) has welcomed the resignation of Michel Platini as European football chief president, which according to its statement, clears the way for a new beginning in the organisation.

DFB president Reinhard Grindel said in a statement on Monday the federation welcomes this step because Platini is freeing the way for the new beginning that UEFA needs, reports Efe.

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.

The DFB will contact other federations in the coming days and the German representative in the executive committee of European governing body (UEFA), Wolfgang Niersbach, to find a formula for the succession of Platini.

Grindel also thanked Platini on behalf of German football for the work done in recent years.

Earlier on Monday CAS decided to reduce the ban imposed on UEFA president Michel Platini from six to four years and also lowered his fine from 80,000 Swiss francs ($82,554) to 60,000 ($61,886).

CAS studied on April 29 the appeal by Platini, president of the UEFA since 2007, until an ethics committee disqualified him last October for violating the code of ethics.