FIFA Trial: Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini Acquitted on Charges of Defrauding FIFA by Switzerland's Criminal Court

Sepp Blatter, who was one of the most powerful men in soccer, was acquitted of defrauding FIFA by a criminal court in Switzerland on Friday, alongside French soccer great Michel Platini.

The two were embroiled in corruption allegations within the organization. The case centered around FIFA's $2 million payment to Platini in 2011, which had Blatter's approval.

According to the defense, the payment was made for Platini's work for the organization a decade earlier. The Associated Press reported that the case trial at the Federal Criminal Court of Switzerland in Bellinzona ran for 11 days.

Prosecutors in Switzerland Wanted 20-Month Sentence for Ex-FIFA Officials Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini

The two men, who once governed the most powerful organization in soccer, denied the charges laid against them, according to The Guardian.

After their acquittal, both men shook hands and joked with one another, looking relieved. Both stood by their story of a gentlemen's agreement being struck between them for Michel Platini to be paid a backdated additional salary for advising Sepp Blatter from 1998 to 2002.

Both men argued that because of FIFA's dire finances at that time, they were not able to pay Platini. However, the judges on FIFA's Ethics Committee rejected the explanation and banned both of them from the sport.

This resulted in Blatter leaving FIFA in disgrace and Platini losing his job as the president of UEFA.

The Associated Press reported that Swiss prosecutor Thomas Hildbrand requested the court for a 20-month suspended sentence for both men. However, the judge sided with Blatter and Platini and awarded them a sum for the costs of the trial.

In addition, the court in Switzerland also awarded Blatter an additional 20,000 Swiss francs ($20,500) in compensation for being "morally wronged."

The three federal judges said prosecutors did not sufficiently prove their case and therefore applied the principle of "in dubio pro reo," which means that a defendant cannot be convicted if there are still doubts about their guilt. The prosecution has 10 days to appeal the case.

Sepp Blatter Made the Payment During His Re-election Bid as FIFA President

Michel Platini worked as a consultant for FIFA from 1998 - 2002. However, he worked with a lowered annual salary of 300,000 Swiss francs.

The two men argued that his salary should have been one million per year, so Sepp Blatter paid him the rest when FIFA finally had the money to pay him.

However, when FIFA finally had the money to pay him, it was 2011, when Blatter was running for re-election against Qatar's Mohamed bin Hammam.

CNBC reported that the payment was seen as Blatter's effort to sway European soccer organizations to his side and influence the vote, as Platina was also serving as the president of UEFA, the governing body of European soccer.

Platini, who lost his job at UEFA following the scandal, said this was a deliberate attempt to stop his bid to be the president of FIFA. He was planning to run in 2015.

He expressed his relief and happiness following the Swiss court's verdict. He said he finally had justice after seven years of "lies and manipulation."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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