Away from football since 2015, Platini, Blatter back in Swiss court in fraud case

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and French football great Michel Platini arrived in Switzerland for a fresh trial in a fraud case, which they were cleared of 2.5 years ago.

The case is related to a $2.2 million payment FIFA made to Platini during Blatter's term. The payment was made more than 14 years ago, and both men maintain it was not illegal.

Now 88, Blatter was FIFA president for 17 years until 2015, while Platini, 69, was the president of the European football body UEFA. Platini, a three-time European Footballer of the Year, was hopeful of succeeding Blatter, who resigned from FIFA in 2015.

A lower court in Switzerland acquitted the two men in 2022 following a seven-year investigation. However, the latest hearing in Basel is based on an appeal against the verdict by a Swiss prosecutor, who is seeking a sentence of 20 months.

Neither Blatter nor Platini has been associated with football since 2015, when FIFA banned them for ethics breaches. While Platini's ban ended in 2019, Blatter was served a fresh one in 2021, shortly before his initial ban ended.

"The Federal Criminal Court in 2022 said the contract between Platini and me was correct, and I expect the new court will confirm this first decision," Reuters quoted Blatter. "I am completely confident I will be cleared, I am an honest man," he said.

Platini's lawyer had a similar view. "My client denies any criminal behaviour and is relaxed about the appeal hearing. He will also be acquitted there. The court of first instance was right to find that the disputed payment of 2 million francs was lawful," Platini's lawyer Dominic Nellen told Reuters. A verdict is expected on March 25.