Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini Acquitted of Corruption Charges Again
Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have once again been cleared of corruption charges, securing their second legal victory against Swiss federal prosecutors. The former FIFA president and ex-UEFA chief, once the most powerful figures in global football, were acquitted on Tuesday in a long-running case that has lasted over a decade.
The pair had been accused of fraud, forgery, mismanagement, and unlawfully receiving more than $2 million in FIFA funds in 2011.
Blatter, now 89, remained composed as a panel of three cantonal judges, acting as a federal criminal appeals court, delivered the verdict. Seated in front of Platini, he appeared deep in thought—alternating between tapping his fingers on the desk and covering his mouth with his hand. Only after the 55-minute ruling was read did he allow himself a smile, shaking his lawyer’s hand before sharing a long embrace with his daughter, Corinne.
“You saw my daughter in tears because she believed in her father, and I had faith in myself,” Blatter said, expressing relief that the legal battle was finally behind him. “Waiting for such a long time takes a toll on a person, and my family has been deeply affected.”
Platini, meanwhile, sat with his arms crossed, listening to a translator relay the decision in French. As he exited the courtroom, he declared, “This persecution by FIFA and certain Swiss federal prosecutors has now come to an end, completely finished. I’m very happy.”
Swiss prosecutors had appealed their initial acquittal from July 2022, seeking a 20-month suspended sentence. The prosecution argued that the payment at the center of the case had “damaged FIFA’s assets and unlawfully enriched Platini.”
However, Platini’s lawyer, Dominic Nellen, insisted his client had been fully exonerated, stating, “Michel Platini deserves to be left in peace regarding criminal matters. After two acquittals, even the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland must recognise that these criminal proceedings have definitively concluded.”
Despite the ruling, the Swiss attorney general’s office signaled that it might pursue further legal action, saying in a statement that it “will determine the next steps.”
