Former soccer bosses Blatter and Platini were acquitted of criminal charges

On Friday, the Swiss Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona acquitted the former football managers Sepp Blatter’s and Michel Platini of criminal charges. Criminal suspicions ended Blatter’s career as president of Fifa and Platini’s presidency of the European Union Uefa, but the court rejected the charges of both.

A major investigation into the actions of Blatter, 86, and Platini, 67, was launched six years ago, and prosecutors demanded a suspended prison sentence of one year and eight months for the pair.

The focus of the investigation was a payment of more than two million Swiss francs (2.02 million euros) made to Platini in 2011. The payment was based on Platini’s billing for Fifa’s advisory duties from 1998–2002.

Blatter presented in court that it was a gentleman’s agreement between the two, according to which part of Platini’s fees had been transferred to be paid when Fifa’s finances allow it.

Football managers were accused of fraud and falsification of a document. Blatter was also accused of, among other things, embezzlement and Platini of participating in it.

Both Blatter and Platini denied wrongdoing.

The case series was processed between 8 and 22. June in a Swiss criminal court, because Fifa’s headquarters are in Zurich and Uefa’s in Nyon.

Blatter worked at FIFA for 40 years. He was elected secretary general of the union in 1981 and chairman in 1998. He led the union until he was forced to resign in 2015.

During his playing career, Platini was awarded the Ballon d’Or in 1983, 1984 and 1985. He served as UEFA president from January 2007 to December 2015.

The sports federations shut down the leading duo from their activities for several years due to financial uncertainties. Blatter was banned for eight years, which was later shortened to six years.

Platini appealed his ban to the International Court of Appeal for Sports, CAS, and got the ban halved from eight to four years.