A Swiss court has finally acquitted former FIFA president Sepp Blatter of all charges, following a decade of legal battles. The extraordinary appeal court of the Swiss Federal Criminal Court has dismissed the appeals of the Swiss Federal Prosecutor’s Office and FIFA against the first-instance verdict, leaving the full acquittal of Blatter and former UEFA president Michel Platini in place.
The charges against Blatter and Platini, dating back to 2015, alleged that the two had embezzled two million francs from FIFA. Blatter had claimed the payment to Platini as a retroactive fee for consulting services between 1998 and 2001, while FIFA argued that Blatter had used the payment to secure Platini’s support for his re-election in 2011.
Blatter, now 89, expressed relief and gratitude after the verdict, stating that his lawyer had always maintained that the prosecution lacked evidence to prove any wrongdoing on their part. Blatter also acknowledged the toll the long legal battle had taken on his life and reputation, saying he was now ready to move on.
The case, which has left deep scars, has been marked by a sense of vindication for Blatter, who has long maintained his innocence. In a pointed remark, he criticized the American investigators behind the case, saying they had launched the investigation as a “bad loser” after failing to secure the hosting of the World Cup.