The “Blatter-Platini affair”, now six years old, is about to know its judicial end. According to information from World, the public prosecutor of the Swiss Confederation (MPC) notified the former president of the International Football Federation (FIFA) and the former boss of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), in an “opinion of next closing “ in August, that he planned to file an indictment against them.
“The parties were informed by this letter that the MPC considers that the investigation is complete and that it intends to bring charges against the two defendants”, confirmed in the world the MPC. The latter has “Fixed a deadline for the parties to present their possible requisitions of proof.” After the expiry of this period, the MPC will rule, if necessary, on the requisitions of evidence before being able to close the procedure. “
For MM. Blatter and Platini, suspected of an unfair payment of 2 million Swiss francs (1.8 million euros), made by the first to the second in February 2011, this decision is synonymous with upcoming trials before the Federal Criminal Court of Bellinzona. However, their lawyers can still challenge it and request new acts.
Mr. Blatter, 85, is being prosecuted for ” suspicion of fraud, breach of trust, forgery of titles and unfair management ”. As for Mr. Platini, 66, he has been prosecuted since 2020 for “Suspicion of fraud, participation in breach of trust, participation in unfair management and forgery in securities”.
Charged with investigating criminal proceedings since 2019, federal prosecutor Thomas Hildebrand suspects the two men of having lied to those around them as to the reason for this payment, which was made a few months before Mr. Blatter’s re-election in June 2011 , at the head of FIFA.
“This affair turns into vaudevilleMr Blatter told the World. If we want to send this case back to court for trial, at least I will have the opportunity to defend myself orally. “
“ I am clearly of the opinion that the charges against my client are unfoundeds, assures Me Dominic Nellen, lawyer for Mr. Platini. Based on the evidence on file, the case could have been closed long ago. There are enough statements and documents to prove my client’s innocence. I have now requested the hearing of various witnesses. “
A prescribed debt, according to FIFA
The federal prosecutor does not believe the version given by MM. Blatter and Platini: they assure that this payment corresponded, by virtue of an “oral contract” sealed in 1998, to a remainder of wages paid to Mr. Platini for the period during which the Frenchman served as adviser to the president of the FIFA (1999-2002). In August 1999, the two men had signed a written contract, agreeing on the payment of a salary of 300,000 Swiss francs annually to the French.
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