Blatter and Platini are on trial for corruption

Blatter and Platini are on trial for corruption

Muttenz, Switzerland – Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and French football legend Michel Platini will appear in court in Switzerland on Monday on fraud charges - two years after her acquittal. Both men, once leading figures in world soccer, were acquitted by a lower Swiss court in 2022 after concluding a seven-year investigation into a 2 million Swiss franc ($2.22 million) payment to Platini.

Appeal by the Swiss Federal Prosecutor's Office

The Swiss Federal Prosecutor's Office has lodged an appeal against this ruling, leading to a new hearing in the Extraordinary Appeals Chamber of the Swiss Criminal Court in Muttenz, near Basel. “The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) appealed the first instance judgment in October 2022 and submitted an appeal request, which considers that the judgment should be completely overturned,” the prosecutor explained. No further details were released.

Charges against Blatter and Platini

The 2022 indictment accused Blatter and Platini of deceiving FIFA employees in 2010 and 2011 about a commitment due to the French footballer, who was president of European soccer body UEFA at the time. "They falsely claimed that FIFA was owed Platini, or that Platini was entitled to, the sum of 2 million Swiss francs for consulting services. This deception was achieved through repeated untrue statements by both accused parties," the indictment said.

Reactions and expectations in court

The case dashed Platini's hopes of succeeding Blatter, who was forced to resign from FIFA in 2015 following another corruption scandal. Blatter and Platini were suspended by FIFA in 2015 for ethical violations initially suspended for eight years, with their bans later shortened. In 2022, they were acquitted in the trial after a judge found their portrayal of a “gentlemen’s agreement” for payment was credible. The judge also expressed serious doubts about the prosecutor's allegations of fraud.

Plausible expectations for the verdict

Swiss federal prosecutors have called for a sentence of 20 months, suspended for two years, against Blatter and Platini, the former captain and coach of the French soccer team. Blatter, who was FIFA president for 17 years, said before the hearing that he was one Witch hunt feel exposed. “The Federal Criminal Court found in 2022 that the contract between Platini and me was correct and I expect the new court to confirm this first decision,” Blatter, 88, told Reuters last week. He added that the impending appeal was "absolute nonsense" and said: "I am completely confident that I will be acquitted, I am an honest man."

Platini and his legal team are optimistic

Platini, a three-time European Footballer of the Year, also expressed confidence in an acquittal, his lawyer said. “The court of first instance was right when it found that the disputed payment of 2 million francs was legal,” said Platini’s lawyer Dominic Nellen. "My client denies any criminal behavior and is relaxed about the appeal hearing. He will be acquitted there too." A verdict is expected on March 25th.