Skip to main content

WOW! Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini Are Acquitted On Charges Of Defrauding FIFA By Swiss Court


The case centered around a $2 million payment from FIFA to Platini with Blatter’s approval in 2011, for work done a decade earlier.

Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini were acquitted on charges of defrauding FIFA by a Swiss criminal court on Friday, a rare positive outcome for the pair who were among soccer’s most powerful figures before being embroiled in corruption investigations.

                             Sepp Blatter

The case was centered around a $2 million payment from FIFA to Platini with Blatter’s approval in 2011, for work done a decade earlier. The verdict followed an 11-day trial last month at the Federal Criminal Court of Switzerland in Bellinzona.

“Following the decision of the judges of the Court of Bellinzona, this morning, I wanted to express my happiness for all my loved ones that justice has finally been done after seven years of lies and manipulation,” Platini said in a statement. “The truth has come to light during this trial.”

"I kept saying it: my fight is a fight against injustice. I won a first game. In this case, there are culprits who did not appear during this trial. Let them count on me, we will meet again. Because I will not give up and I will go all the way in my quest for truth.”

Swiss prosecutor Thomas Hildbrand had requested a 20-month suspended sentence for both Blatter and Platini.

Blatter announced his plan in June 2015 to resign early as president, in the fallout from a sprawling American corruption investigation. Less than four months later, a separate but cooperating case by Swiss prosecutors led to the Platini payment being investigated.

The fallout removed Blatter from office but also ended Platini’s campaign to succeed his former mentor and saw the French soccer great removed as president of UEFA, the governing body of European soccer.

“Believe me, going from being a legend of world soccer to a devil is very difficult, especially when it comes to you in a totally unfair way,” Platini added.

                          Michel Platini

Both Blatter and Platini have long denied wrongdoing and claim they had a verbal deal in 1998 for Platini to get extra salary that FIFA could not pay at the time. Platini signed a contract in August 1999 to be paid 300,000 Swiss francs ($300,000) annually.

That defense first failed with judges at the FIFA ethics committee, which banned them from soccer, and later in separate appeals at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Platini finally got a legal victory in the first criminal case after losses in five civil courts, including at the European Court of Human Rights.

His ban by FIFA for unethical conduct expired in October 2021 and Friday’s verdict should clear the way for Platini to return to work in soccer.




Comments

Post a Comment

Type your comments here

Popular posts from this blog

In The Spotlight

  On Saturday night, the starboy 'himself' Wizkid, held a music concert in Lagos. Wizkid and Olamide, Nigeria's mega music superstars, thrilled fans to a fantastic concert in Lagos. The concert as part of a music world tour by Wizkid, featured the likes of Olamide, Fireboy and Lojay.  Their performance at the concert was electrifying.  Olamide and Wizkid, performed songs, they did together in the past, their old songs. Thereby, settling rumours of 'bad blood' between the two as perceived by fans. Wizkid appreciated Olamide and reminisced on old times when they were still struggling. He said: “We’ve come so far from that life, I remember when we did that song ‘Omo Toh Shan’. “We thank God for our lives my brother.” The latest music sensation known as 'Portable', also performed. He was sprayed with foreign currency by Wizkid as he performed on stage with Olamide. They all gave a spectacular performance for the night. 'Portable' is known for his hit son...
2 comments
Read more

Breaking: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Campaign DG Has Left The All Progressive Congress, APC.

Honourable Abdulmumin Jibrin, the Campaign Director General of APC frontline presidential aspirant, Ahmed Tinubu, has left the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC. He made his decision known via his Twitter handle. He tweeted, “I have done my best for APC. Its time to move on. I will announce my new political party within the next 24 hours insha Allah. I will make a formal statement in due course. Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin.” Jubril in the last weeks aggressively campaigned for Tinubu.  On several platforms, he asserted his position on a Southern presidency. During an interview with Arise Television, Jubril made the following remark,   “I don’t think APC will try to toy around with that matter. I believe confidently that the Presidency is going to the Southern part and, when it goes there, Asiwaju stands out clearly in terms of experience, pedigree and competence and most importantly, the ability to win the election. His gap is quite huge more than anybody else". "Well 24 hou...
1 comment
Read more

Attahiru Jega - ASUU Strike Turned Into A Personal Quarrel

Attahiru Jega, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has accused Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, of taking the industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) personal and turning it into a private dispute. Speaking on Tuesday during a programme on Arise TV, Jega said Ngige is creating more problems than solutions. He alleges that Ngige is having a personal quarrel with the minister of education and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).  Jega said; "Unfortunately, right now, the minister of labour is not helping matters. He has turned this into a personal quarrel between him and the minister of education on one hand and between himself and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on the other. “While many other people are trying to find a way of addressing this situation so that students can go back to school and ASUU can go back to work, he is busy creating challenges. “He now took the matte...
Post a Comment
Read more