Blatter and Platini cleared of fraud charges

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and ex-UEFA chief Michel Platini have been cleared of fraud charges by a second Swiss court relating to a 2011 payment.

Swiss prosecutors had contested the pair's acquittal in July 2022 but on Tuesday an appeals court backed the original decision of the federal criminal court.

The 2022 trial marked the end of a seven-year investigation into a payment of two million Swiss francs (€1.8million) from Blatter to Platini in 2011.

Both men have always denied any wrongdoing in relation to the payment, but Swiss prosecutors charged them in November 2021, stating the payment had "no legal basis".

Platini said he was "very happy" and felt that his honour had been restored.

"The persecution of FIFA and some Swiss federal prosecutors for 10 years is now over," Platini told reporters. "It is now totally over. And for me, today, my honour has returned and I am very happy."

Platini, a former captain and manager of the French national team, said he had received 10,000 messages of support and would celebrate the decision by going to a restaurant.

Platini's lawyers say they are now planning legal action against those responsible for the criminal proceedings.

Lawyer Dominic Nellen said in a statement on Tuesday morning: "I am pleased to note that the Court of Appeal has also fully confirmed my client's innocence. After a thorough examination of the files, the testimonies and the evidence, the court found that there were no criminally relevant actions.

"There is not a single piece of incriminating evidence to support the prosecution's indictment."

Nellen said the proceedings had had "massive personal and professional consequences" for Platini and prevented his election as FIFA president in 2016.

"The Office of the Attorney General has not managed to find a single piece of incriminating evidence for over 10 years. These proceedings were not justified and should never have been conducted," Nellen added.

"After the failure of the criminal proceedings, the defence will now analyse how to take legal action against those responsible for the criminal proceedings."

Platini enjoyed an illustrious playing career with France, captaining his country to European Championship glory in 1984 as well as playing for Les Bleus at the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cup finals.

His switch to football administration had been equally successful, including serving as UEFA president from 2007 to 2015, and he was widely seen as a future FIFA president until the 2011 payment emerged.

Platini has always insisted it was back pay for work conducted as an advisor to Blatter between 1998 and 2002.

Platini was initially banned from football for eight years by FIFA's ethics committee in 2015, reduced to four following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

It was also in 2015 that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) in Switzerland opened criminal proceedings in relation to the so-called "disloyal" payment from Blatter to Platini.

Blatter was banned for eight years by FIFA over the payment, reduced to six years on appeal, having served as FIFA president between 1998 and 2015.

Blatter's legal team and FIFA have also been contacted for comment

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