Football: Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini cleared by Swiss justice
Michel Platini arriving at the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, Switzerland, Friday July 8, 2022. AP - Alessandro Crinari
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Michel Platini was acquitted by Swiss justice.
The former UEFA boss was being sued, along with ex-Fifa president Sepp Blatter, over a suspicious payment of 2 million Swiss francs between the two men in 2011, settled just before Sepp Blatter was re-elected to the head of FIFA.
No plot there, says the Federal Court which acquitted the two men.
It is the end of a legal saga of more than seven years which hastened the end of Michel Platini's career.
Advertising
Read more
With our special correspondent in Bellinzona, Switzerland,
Jérémie Lanche
Michel Platini and Sepp Blatter are acquitted of all
the charges
against them.
Better, the Court grants them compensation of 142,000 Swiss francs (about 140,000 euros) for Michel Platini and 102,000 francs (or 100,000 euros) for Sepp Blatter.
The judges therefore did not follow the thesis of illegitimate payment defended by the Swiss prosecutor's office, which demanded a 20-month suspended prison sentence.
For two weeks, the 67-year-old Frenchman and the 86-year-old Swiss had appeared for having "
illegally obtained, at the expense of Fifa, a payment of 2 million Swiss francs
" (1.8 million euros) "
in favor by Michael Platini
”.
Defense and prosecution agreed on one point: the triple Ballon d'Or advised Sepp Blatter well between 1998 and 2002, during the latter's first term at the head of Fifa, and the two men signed a contract in 1999 agreeing to an annual remuneration of 300,000 Swiss francs, entirely paid by Fifa.
But in January 2011, the former midfielder – who in the meantime became UEFA President (2007-2015) – “
claimed a claim of 2 million Swiss francs
”,
false invoice
" by the prosecution.
It is therefore a success for Michel Platini and Seep Blatter who have always defended a gentlemen's agreement for services rendered.
And it's a snub for prosecutor Thomas Hildbrand and Swiss justice, which has still not obtained a major conviction in the various trials related to Fifa.
When the verdict was announced, Michel Platini and Sepp Blatter exchanged a satisfied look.
Even if the Swiss prosecution can still appeal.
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Soccer
Justice
Fifa
Swiss
France