Blatter and Platini sentenced to suspended sentences

Created: 06/15/2022, 13:37

Former UEFA President Michel Platini at the Federal Criminal Court in Bellizona.

© Alessandro Crinari/KEYSTONE/TI-PRESSKEYSTONE/dpa

Joseph Blatter and Michel Platini were great movers and shakers in international football.

A million payment to Platini is said to have been unlawful.

The federal prosecutor is demanding suspended sentences.

Bellinzona - In the trial against former FIFA President Joseph Blatter and ex-UEFA boss Michel Platini, the Swiss federal prosecutor's office has demanded a suspended prison sentence of one year and eight months for both of them.

Platini should also pay a fine of around 2.2 million francs (around 2.1 million euros).

Both have to answer for allegations of fraud and other crimes, they reject all allegations.

On the sixth day of the trial, the federal prosecutor held their plea.

Blatter complains about media prejudice

Blatter (86) had previously denied the allegations during his interrogation and complained about prejudice in the media.

It was "totally incomprehensible" for him that the process was in a courtroom, Blatter said last Thursday before the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, Switzerland.

The payment of two million Swiss francs to Platini (66) went through all the necessary bodies at the World Football Association.

“It is an owed late payment of wages.

This is an administrative matter in a club and it is dealt with under civil law," said Blatter.

The fact that the two million payment to the former president of the European Football Union was based on an agreement was a protective claim by the accused, said the federal public prosecutor, Thomas Hildbrand.

There is no legal basis for this payment.

allegation of deception

The defendants are accused of having deceived the world association about an allegedly outstanding claim by Platini.

According to the indictment, Blatter is said to have unlawfully confirmed FIFA's payment of two million francs (currently around 1.92 million euros) plus social security contributions to Platini.

After his election as FIFA boss in 1998, he agreed to work with Platini, Blatter reported.

He said: "I'm worth a million." In August 1999, a contract backdated to the beginning of the year was agreed with a salary of 300,000 Swiss francs.

When Platini pointed out that this was not the entire agreed sum, he said: "We'll see about that later." In 2011, the sum of two million Swiss francs was billed by Platini.

From Platini's point of view, the accusation is a conspiracy designed to prevent him from becoming FIFA President and to clear the way for the current incumbent Gianni Infantino.

dpa