Sepp Blatter, the former FIFA president, and Michel Platini, the former UEFA president, are back in court for a fresh fraud trial nearly three years after their previous acquittal. The pair is also facing charges of forgery and misappropriation linked to a controversial 2 million Swiss franc payment made by FIFA to Platini in 2011.
This new trial comes after Swiss prosecutors appealed their acquittal in 2022, which followed a seven-year investigation into the payment. Blatter and Platini have consistently denied any wrongdoing, claiming the payment was part of a verbal agreement for work Platini did for Blatter between 1998 and 2002.
In 2011, FIFA made a payment of 2 million Swiss francs (about €2.12 million) to Platini, allegedly for non-contracted advisory work he performed for Blatter. The payment was controversial, particularly when it emerged during the FIFA corruption scandal in 2015, leading both Blatter and Platini to resign from their roles at FIFA and UEFA.
The Swiss federal prosecutor’s office initially charged the two men, claiming the payment damaged FIFA’s assets and unjustly enriched Platini. While Blatter and Platini were acquitted in 2022, the Swiss Attorney General's Office and FIFA appealed the ruling, prompting this new trial.
The trial is being held at the Extraordinary Appeals Chamber of the Swiss Criminal Court, where three judges will deliberate the case in German. The trial is expected to conclude by Thursday, with a verdict slated for March 25.
Swiss prosecutors have requested 20 months’ suspended sentences for both men, arguing that the payment to Platini violated FIFA’s financial rules. Although FIFA was not represented in court on Monday, they are pursuing a civil case to recover the payment, as well as 229,000 Swiss francs in social charges and interest.
Platini has repeatedly defended the payment, claiming it was a legitimate contractual agreement that was later declared as income and taxed. His defense lawyer, Dominic Nellen, is asking the judges to dismiss FIFA’s appeal and civil claim, citing the absence of FIFA’s representation in court.
Blatter and Platini have both expressed frustration with the prolonged legal proceedings, asserting that the payment was agreed upon in good faith, and that it was a legitimate transaction for advisory work provided years ago.
This trial is one of the last major legal ramifications of the 2015 FIFA corruption scandal, which saw numerous FIFA officials implicated in bribery and fraud. The case has continued to drag on, even as Blatter and Platini have maintained their innocence.
The FIFA corruption crisis caused significant damage to the reputation of the global football governing body, and Blatter’s resignation, along with Platini’s failed bid to succeed him as president, marked a turning point for both men in their careers.
The outcome of this trial will be closely scrutinized, as it carries serious legal and financial ramifications not only for Blatter and Platini but also for FIFA. With a verdict expected by late March, this protracted legal battle is far from its conclusion, and the final resolution could reshape the legacy of both men and the governance of global football.
