INTERVIEW
The affair shook the governance of world football and continues to cause a stir: the Fifagate is one of the most significant politico-sporting events of the turn of the century. Before his hearing Monday morning in the context of the criminal proceedings against him for "suspicion of unfair management and breach of trust", the former FIFA leader, Sepp Blatter, delivers his analysis of the case and defends in passing the former French playmaker Michel Platini, who was initially to succeed him at the head of the institution.
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In the fall of 2015, Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini (the latter was then president of UEFA), were suspended as a precaution for 90 days, after having been heard as part of an investigation by the Swiss justice for a payment of 2 million Swiss francs (1.8 million euros) from the first to the second, in 2011. Sepp Blatter was then suspended for six years and Michel Platini for four years.
An "anti-Platini" plot
Five years later, Sepp Blatter maintains that these accusations, and the sanctions that followed, are part of a larger scheme. The former leader believes on Europe 1 that "the number 1 target of the plot was Michel Platini, not me". "The one who could be dangerous for the current president, who was at UEFA, was not me, because I had made my mandate available", continues the former leader, who "continues to live with this sport" . "It was open, we had to stop the one who had a real chance of becoming" the next UEFA president.
" By getting in touch with Platini, it was going very well "However, it is Gianni Infantino who acceded to the chair left vacant by Sepp Blatter and therefore Michel Platini, also questioned Monday as part of this procedure. The president of FIFA is today targeted by an investigation by the Swiss justice for the counts of "abuse of authority", "violation of official secrecy" and "obstruction of criminal proceedings".
There was therefore, according to Sepp Blatter, an "anti-Platini" plot, which also pushed him to leave the instance. "Putting me in the game, it was going very well. The two enemies of the great powers were suddenly Platini and Blatter."
Blatter is "not afraid of anything"
Sepp Blatter also invites Michel Platini to show solidarity with him while the two former leaders are now facing justice. Today, "I would hug him, despite the restrictions of the coronavirus," says Blatter. "I would say 'bravo Michel, (…) now we are in court, for the investigations, and now we are together. In 2007, we were even more together because I gave you a small step for the presidency of the 'UEFA'. "
On his judicial future, the 84-year-old former leader said: "I'm not afraid of anything. The court is not there yet, for the moment we are doing hearings. I should do something very hard to go to jail. Now is not the time to think about going to jail, for the moment I am thinking of enjoying life a little and taking care of football a little more. "
As for the opprobrium cast on FIFA and its leaders in this sprawling corruption affair, Sepp Blatter is keen to defend a governance that is now highly criticized: "To say that everyone is corrupt is not true."
* A long interview with Sepp Blatter will also be heard on Europe 1 Sunday evening, between 8 pm and 9 pm, in "Europe 1 Sport".