Geneva (AFP)

Sepp Blatter, the almighty former president of Fifa, heard since Monday by a Swiss prosecutor in the case of the suspicious payment which also threatens Michel Platini, will have to come back to justice on Wednesday, according to his spokesperson.

His hearing takes place in the offices of the federal prosecutor in Zurich, where the headquarters of Fifa is also located.

This file, which put the former boss of world football and Platini out of their sport, concerns the payment by Fifa of 2 million Swiss francs (1.8 million EUR) to the French triple golden ball in early 2011. , without written justification, by order of Blatter.

The epilogue of this file which shattered the careers of the two most powerful men in world football was delayed for several months by the state of health of the Swiss, hospitalized in December and January last and who had to undergo a major heart operation.

But Sepp Blatter, 85, is now fit for questioning, albeit with a limited time.

Tuesday, his hearing lasted 90 minutes, but due to the protocol he remained 3 hours on the spot, said his spokesman Thomas Renggli, explaining that the former president of Fifa will be heard again on Wednesday, and perhaps even Thursday.

"Mr. Blatter is happy with himself, but not with the prosecutors' questions. It's a bit ridiculous. The suspicions about him are a little absurd," he told AFP.

This hearing must be the last step before the closure of this investigation opened in 2015 against the two men.

According to the prosecutor's office, Blatter is being prosecuted for "suspicion of fraud, breach of trust and unfair management", while the criminal proceedings against Platini are being carried out for "suspicion of fraud, participation in breach of trust, of participation in an unfair management and forgery in the titles ".

Platini had been heard one last time in mid-March.

He is now awaiting the decision of the public prosecutor's office, which could either pronounce a dismissal or pave the way for a trial before the Federal Criminal Court of Bellinzona.

Blatter and Platini hammer relentlessly that this is a balance of payment for an advisory job carried out by the French in 1999-2002.

Fifa, led since 2016 by Gianni Infantino, for its part deplores the absence of a written contract mentioning at the time such remuneration, and demands reimbursement from Platini.

The prosecution clarified that it was not in a position to give a timetable for the continuation of this case.

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