In the trial against former FIFA President Joseph Blatter and ex-UEFA boss Michel Platini, the Swiss public prosecutor’s office has demanded a suspended prison sentence of one year and eight months for both of them.
Platini should also pay a fine of around 2.2 million francs (around 2.1 million euros). Both have to answer for allegations of fraud and other crimes, they reject all allegations. The verdict is expected on July 8th.
Blatter and Platini “didn’t show a shred of remorse”.
On the sixth day of the trial, the federal prosecutor held their plea. Blatter and Platini are guilty of fraud, embezzlement or unfaithful business management and forgery of documents, federal prosecutor Thomas Hildbrand said on Wednesday before the Federal Criminal Court. The accused had “not shown the slightest remorse”. “Blatter and Platini were free to decide for or against the law,” said Hildebrand. They would have decided “without good reason” for the wrong. The agreements among themselves speak for a “not inconsiderable criminal energy”.
Payment of two million Swiss francs to Platini
Blatter (86) had previously denied the allegations during his interrogation and complained about prejudice in the media. The payment of two million Swiss francs to Platini (66) went through all the necessary bodies at the World Football Association.
The fact that the two-million payment to the former president of the European Football Union was based on an agreement was a protective claim by the accused, said Hildbrand. There is no legal basis for this payment.
Deception of the world association
The defendants are accused of having deceived the world association about an allegedly outstanding claim by Platini. According to the indictment, Blatter is said to have unlawfully confirmed FIFA’s payment of two million francs (currently around 1.92 million euros) plus social security contributions to Platini.
