Blatter and Platini Acquitted For Second Time in FIFA Corruption Case
Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have been acquitted of fraud charges for a second time by a Swiss appeals court, bringing an end to a legal battle that began in 2015. The former FIFA and UEFA presidents were accused of misappropriating $2.2 million in 2011, a payment prosecutors claimed was made without a legal basis. Blatter, 89, and Platini, 69, argued that the money was for consultancy work done between 1998 and 2002 under a verbal agreement, which the court ultimately accepted.
Platini’s lawyer, Dominic Nellen, criticized the case, saying, “After two acquittals, even the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland must realise that these criminal proceedings have definitively failed.” He also pointed out the significant personal and professional damage the case had caused his client, including preventing him from becoming FIFA president. The scandal not only ended Platini’s leadership at UEFA but also contributed to Blatter’s downfall at FIFA, where he was already facing mounting corruption allegations.
Despite their legal victories, both men’s reputations remain tarnished. Platini, once a frontrunner to lead FIFA, never got the chance, and Blatter’s tenure as FIFA president will always be linked to widespread corruption scandals. While prosecutors could still appeal to the Swiss supreme court, it appears increasingly unlikely that either man will face further consequences.
