Topline
Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, formerly two of soccer’s most powerful officials, were acquitted of corruption by a Swiss court on Friday, the latest development in a long-running scandal that rocked the world’s most popular sport.
Blatter and Platini were acquitted by a Swiss federal court on Friday.
Key Facts
Switzerland’s Federal Criminal Court cleared Blatter and Platini of defrauding FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, over a $2 million payment to Platini in 2011.
At the time, Blatter was president of FIFA and Platini—then FIFA’s vice-president and the head of the sport’s European governing body, UEFA—was expected to succeed him.
Prosecutors accused the pair of illegally arranging the payment, which they said followed a “gentleman’s agreement” to compensate Platini for consultancy services rendered during Blatter’s first term as president between 1998 and 2002 when the organization’s finances were less stable.
Both maintained their innocence but the timing of the payment—Blatter approved it when campaigning for re-election and Platini had sway over European voters—raised questions over potential motives.
The 11-day trial concluded on June 22.
Key Background
The payment came to light following a larger U.S. Department of Justice investigation into corruption and malpractice at FIFA in 2015. The investigation exposed deep seated corruption at the organization, which was accused of improperly awarding Qatar the right to host the 2022 World Cup. A number of leading executives and officials were indicted in the scandal. It also effectively claimed the careers of Blatter and Platini, with FIFA’s ethics committee banning both from soccer-related activities for eight years.
Further Reading
Fifa corruption crisis: Key questions answered (BBC)
Blatter and Platini face fraud charges in Fifa corruption probe (FT)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/07/08/ex-soccer-bosses-sepp-blatter-michel-platini-acquitted-in-fifa-corruption-trial/