Bellinzona, Switzerland- Former FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, and former UEFA president, Michel Platini, have been acquitted of corruption charges by the Federal Criminal Court.
The pair stood trial for the overpayment of US$2 million made by Blatter to Platini in 2011. However, both men had denied wrongdoing and said the transfer was a belated payment for Platini’s advisory work for FIFA.
During the trial, Blatter told the court that the money was part of a gentlemen’s agreement that he had made with Platini, who had agreed to advise him in return for about US$1 million a year adding that the payment of the money would come later.
The criminal charges of fraud, criminal mismanagement and forgery against the two men came after a multi-year investigation into the payment, which came to light in 2015 after prosecutors at the United States Department of Justice revealed corrupt practices at FIFA dating back at least two decades.
The American investigation resulted in the arrest and conviction of dozens of powerful soccer officials and marketing executives on charges that included racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy.
As a result, both officials were banned in 2015 from soccer for eight years over the payment, although their bans were later reduced.
Platini, who also lost his job as UEFA president following the ban, said the affair was a deliberate attempt to thwart his attempt to become FIFA president in 2015 but expressed his joy today following the acquittal.
“I want to express my happiness for all my loved ones that justice has finally been done after seven years of lies and manipulation. The truth has come to light during this trial. I kept saying it, my fight is a fight against injustice. I won the first game,” said Platini. Blatter, 86, and Platini, 67, had faced as much as five years in prison if convicted.
