A Swiss prosecutor has called for 20-month suspended sentences for former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and ex-UEFA president Michel Platini in an appeal against their 2022 acquittal in a long-running corruption case.
The case, which has significantly impacted the reputations of both football administrators, is being reviewed by an Extraordinary Appeal Court in Muttenz, near Basel. A final verdict is expected on March 25.
Prosecutor Thomas Hildbrand, while seeking the suspended sentences, did not request jail time for Blatter, 88, and Platini, 69.
The legal battle stems from a 2015 corruption scandal that led to Blatter’s resignation from FIFA. The controversy revolves around a payment of two million Swiss francs (€1.8 million) made to Platini in 2011 for consultancy services he allegedly provided between 1998 and 2002.
In June 2022, the Swiss Federal Court acquitted both men of charges, including disloyal management, breach of trust, and forgery of documents. The court ruled that fraud was “not established with a likelihood bordering on certainty,” and under the principle that “doubt must benefit the accused,” they were cleared of wrongdoing. However, the Swiss Attorney General’s office later challenged the ruling, leading to the current appeal.
During a three-and-a-half-hour argument on Tuesday, Hildbrand sought to discredit Blatter and Platini’s defense, which claimed that an “oral agreement” existed for the payment, despite the absence of written records.
Evidence presented in court shows that Blatter and Platini had signed a formal contract in August 1999, agreeing that FIFA would pay Platini an annual salary of 300,000 Swiss francs for his consultancy work. However, in 2011 just before FIFA’s presidential election Platini suddenly submitted an invoice for two million Swiss francs, which Blatter approved as a delayed salary payment.
The defense maintains that there had been an initial agreement to pay Platini one million Swiss francs annually, but payments were deferred due to FIFA’s financial constraints at the time.
Hildbrand dismissed this explanation, pointing out that FIFA had more than 21 million Swiss francs in cash and reserves of 328 million francs by 2002, making such a delay unjustifiable. He argued that approving such a significant payment without proper documentation, witnesses, or financial records went against FIFA’s standard accounting practices.
The appeal trial, which began on Monday, is set to conclude on Thursday with closing statements from the defense. While FIFA has joined the case as a civil party in the appeal, it has not sent representatives to the hearings in Muttenz.
The final ruling on March 25 will determine whether Blatter and Platini face legal consequences or if their acquittal remains upheld.
