In a significant legal victory, a Swiss court acquitted former UEFA President Michel Platini and former FIFA President Sepp Blatter of corruption charges on March 25, 2025. This ruling marks the second acquittal for both football officials in a series of highly publicized corruption investigations that have plagued their careers for nearly a decade.
During the trial held in Bellinzona, the court reviewed allegations surrounding an illegal payment of 2 million Swiss francs (approximately 1.8 million euros) made to Platini during his tenure as a football advisor from 1998 to 2002. These payments were argued by the prosecution to be unwarranted, given the lack of formal documentation for a supposed verbal contract regarding Platini's salary.
The origins of this case can be traced back to January 2011, when Jerome Valcke, then FIFA's Secretary-General, allegedly labeled Platini a 'well-fed fat cat' as he requested the payment. Platini, who was a star player for France and later headed UEFA from 2007 to 2015, maintained that his salary was indeed agreed upon verbally at 1 million Swiss francs—a claim met with skepticism due to the absence of written evidence.
Platini's lawyer has argued that the charges against his client were politically motivated, intended to derail Platini's ambitions to ascend to the FIFA presidency following Blatter's resignation in 2015. In the first trial in 2022, the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona had acquitted both men, declaring that the prosecution had not established the fraud claim beyond a reasonable doubt.
In a dramatic courtroom session, the prosecution had sought a suspended sentence of 20 months for both defendants but failed to convince the jury. During the four-day proceedings, it was upheld by both Blatter and Platini that their agreement, although lacking written records, was genuine. They insisted that FIFA's financial situation at the time precluded immediate payment of Platini's full entitlement.
As the court deliberated, critical evidence was presented by the prosecution, highlighting discrepancies in the contract signed in 1999—a contract that stipulated a salary of 300,000 Swiss francs per year. The defense countered this by emphasizing that the burden of proof lies with the prosecution to demonstrate that the contracts were fraudulent, a point noted by Platini's attorney, Dominique Neylin.
“The reason behind the current procedures,” Neylin stated, “was only to prevent Michel Platini from becoming president of FIFA.” Such allegations of corruption have overshadowed the otherwise celebrated legacies of both men within the sport. While their legal misfortunes continue to arise, this recent ruling allows them to breathe a sigh of relief, at least for now.
Despite the acquittal, the door remains open for a potential appeal to the Swiss Federal Court on specific legal grounds, which raises questions about the lasting implications of this case on the reputations of both Platini and Blatter as well as future governance within FIFA.
This ruling is not just a legal outcome but a pivotal moment that might reshape the landscape of football administration, particularly as the sport has grappled with various corruption scandals over the past decade. The outcome of this trial sends a resonating message regarding the legal boundaries of contracts in the world of sports, particularly at the intersection of ethics and politics.
In conclusion, while both men have achieved acquittal once again, the story is unlikely to end here as the broader implications of their legal battles linger on in the sport’s governing structures.
