FIFA’s former President Sepp Blater and Vice President, Michel Platini, have been acquitted of fraud in a Swiss court.
According to local reports, the two powerful football figures were both found not guilty of corruption at Switzerland’s federal criminal court following a two-week trial that ended on June 22.
It’s imperative to note that the case is centred on a £1.6 million payment made by Blatter to Platini in 2011.
Recall that the Swiss office of the attorney general (OAG) had accused Blatter and Platini of “fraud, in the alternative of misappropriation, in the further alternative of criminal mismanagement as well as of forgery of a document”.
In their case, Swiss prosecutors had stated that the payment was made “without a legal basis” and “unlawfully” enriched Platini.
But in his defence, FIFA’s former boss, Blatter said the money paid to Platini was a “gentleman’s agreement” for the job done as an advisor to the FIFA president between 1998 and 2002.
Recall that Blatter was in charge of FIFA for 17 years while Platini hoped to be his successor.
Nevertheless, despite being cleared, the 86-year-old ex-FIFA president remains banned from football until 2028 for a different punishment in 2021.
On the other hand, 67-year-old Platini has served his ban.
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