Swiss Federal Court: Michel Platini (ex-UEFA) & Joseph Blatter (ex-FIFA) acquitted of fraud charges

Joseph Blatter, former FIFA president (1998-2016) and Michel Platini, former UEFA president (2007-2015) have been acquitted by the Federal Criminal Court of Bellinzona (Ticino, SUI) in the case of the alleged fraudulent payment of CHF2m (€1.54m at the time of the payment, on 01/02/2011) that the former made to the latter, announced the Swiss court on 08/07/2022.

They were acquitted of the charges of "fraud, disloyal management, breach of trust and forgery", although they were previously facing five years' imprisonment and the prosecution had requested a 20-month suspended prison sentence.

The court considered that the fraud was "not established with a probability bordering on certainty" and it therefore applied the general principle of criminal law that "doubt must benefit the accused."

"I wanted to express my happiness for all my loved ones that justice has finally been done after 7 years of lies and manipulation. The truth has come to light during this trial and I deeply thank the Judges of the Tribunal for the independence of their decision. I kept saying it: my fight is a fight…