FORMER FIFA PRESIDENT Sepp Blatter and ex-UEFA chief Michel Platini on Tuesday were acquitted again on appeal by a Swiss court in a long-running corruption case.
As in the first instance, when the pair were acquitted in 2022, the extraordinary appeals court in Muttenz near Basel did not follow the recommendations of prosecutors who had requested suspended sentences of 20 months.
After almost 10 years of proceedings, a final appeal is still possible before the Swiss Federal Court, but only on limited legal grounds.
Blatter, 89, and Platini, 69, again appeared in court on charges stemming from a delayed payment of two million Swiss francs (1.8 million euros) FIFA made to Platini in 2011 for consultancy services.
The legal saga shattered the careers of Blatter and former France captain and manager Platini, once among the most powerful figures in world football.
“After two acquittals, the federal prosecutor’s office must also admit that this criminal procedure has definitively failed. Michel Platini must finally be left alone in criminal matters,” said Dominic Nellen, Platini’s lawyer.
The case began in 2015 when Blatter quit as head of FIFA in a corruption crisis.
They were initially acquitted by the Swiss Federal Court in June 2022 of charges that included “disloyal management”, “breach of trust” and “forgery of securities”.
However, the Swiss Attorney General’s office immediately appealed that verdict.
The defence and prosecution agreed that Platini did advise Blatter between 1998 and 2002, during the Swiss administrator’s first term at the head of FIFA, and that in 1999 the two men signed a contract agreeing an annual remuneration of 300,000 Swiss francs, to be “paid in full by FIFA”.
Blatter and Platini said that at the start they agreed orally, and without witnesses, on an annual salary of one million Swiss francs, but FIFA’s financial state did not allow for immediate payment.
In January 2011, “more than eight years after the end of his activity as advisor”, Platini “claimed a debt of two million Swiss francs”, which FIFA paid.
At the time, Blatter was running for re-election as FIFA president and Platini had become head of European football.
Prosecutors argued that this was an “unfounded” payment, obtained by “cleverly misleading” FIFA’s internal controls through false statements made by the two executives — the key criterion in the fraud.
Wonder will the GAA be so keen to hand out a ban for something the ref missed in this case ? Dublin where a disgrace to the game today. Dirty and Cynical.
typical Tyrone
oh wait a minute..
The only ones that are laughing now are kerry havent seen spillane as happy in a long time.
The standard of officiating in the GAA is a disgrace. It is absolutely terrible. Dublin were very badly treated by the referee again. How many points did Mayo get from diving for free kicks? Connolly got sent off for nothing. Another Mayo player diving. Mayo are a very cynical team. An absolute disgrace. Diving, play acting, getting players sent off, etc. There is definitely an agenda against Dublin from referees.
Davy Fitz, is that you?
Hi Neil, u have blown my cover. My bad.
So you didn’t watch it.
These Ulster teams need to thrown out of the game
Head butting is really the lowest of the low, it’s more like something you see during a street brawl
and even then its the lowest of the low
Referee was terrible, Cian o Sullivan should have got 2 black cards
what was with the constant booing? twas like the vuvuzelas from south African world cup
bye bye Philly, no replay for you
He’ll not get banned at all. Let’s not cod ourselves.
The Sunday Game will be interesting tonight. Will they dissect Dublin to the same extent as Tyrone? I think we all know what the answer will be….
you’d have to say fair play to him for staying on his feet,bad bad game apart from the last 10 mins,can’t understand how they kept leaving Dublin use the shirt kickout,the few that Cluxton hit long mayo won easily,advantage Mayo I’d say,Kerry probably laughing though.
Cooper and McMahon cynical , dirty ba*tards!
Should be a good atmosphere in limerick for the replay
Win at all costs from Dublin. Horrible to watch.
Is Big Sam managing Mayo these days? Never seen so many hoof balls into the box. I was expecting Kevin Nolan to come on
the referee had a nightmare. gave dublin nothing
He should have gave them at least another red and about 5 black cards.
You’re spot on, gave them no red cards in the first half and not enough black cards. A bottler of a ref.
ah come on lads, football is becoming un-reffable, cynicism on both sides, dub prob worse tho
I’d love to see these black card offences.. Referee got the two black cards bang on but he should have sent McMahon off, left Connelly on and sent off o’shea for the elbows. An incredible amount of soft frees given to both sides but Mayo definitely got the rub of the from him.
Cian O’Sullivan should have walked for a second yellow.Blatant jersey pull in first half.
Thought McCauley was unlucky,looked a foul and no more.
black cards are joke. you should at least lose one of your chances to sub too. sin bins are a mile more logical.
He gave dublin a goal and a point that weren’t !!
Cluxton booted O’Shea, after O’Shea pulled him to ground.
Cooper should have gotten red and McMahon should have gotten two reds.
Connolly acting the maggot all day.
Not sure what game you were watching with that comment about Connolly, targeted by Mayo and Keegan in particular for the whole game. Keegan stared the row by pulling him down and wouldn’t let go of Connolly
referee wasn’t big enough for game. dublin dragged a man to the ground in the first few minutes. O shea does same to Cluxton. no black cards. cian O sullivan with the most blatant black card in history. mc cauley sending off a joke. mcmahon headbutted boxed three players in the face and back. dublin penalty was a free in as tackle was outside the box.
Don’t worry lads McMahon will get away with it GAA incapable of reforming what should be a good sport. What an awful game – Kerry will sleep well – nothing today to cause em any bother..:
Dublin were an embarrassment to the sport and our country today. I hope no tourists were watching.
You’re dead right Rochelle. I’m sure tourism industry is going to take a massive hit after that. I’m sure the tourists I met on the Luas will never set foot in our country again even though they told me how much they enjoyed it and how they loved the fact fans from both counties sit together with no trouble. The tourism industry is doomed I tell ya, DOOMED! Exaggerate much?!
yeah the team that managed 1-11 from play are the embrassment how did mayo fair from play. Mayo gave plan was to win frees in Dublin 45 as & it worked the got a replay now the just have to learn how to actual score while playing
Rachel it is impossible to score from play if the opposition are dragging you to the ground continuously. Thankfully the cynical play from Dublin was correctly penalised by the ref
Gway and cop on to yourself..
O’Shea and Keegan shudda been sent off
Why? Cluxton & McMahon should have been sent off for kicking and head butting an opponent.
Never a penalty to Mayo, guy dived into Dublin player. Mayo were agricultural, Dublin cynical, Kerry laughing.
Ref knew what he was doing, any dublin game = cha ching. typical inbred gaa corruption. I’m sure mayo fans are looking forward to spending more on another 6 hour journey to croker. so predictable.
Replay is in Limerick
nope, croker next sat at 5.
Now that’s Funny!!!
he should’ve watched O Shea play before today this summer…got nowhere near him today!!
Crap 60 mins!! Fair play to Mayo fir getting back in. But Dublin gifted that game. Fouling was dreadful…and Mayo lived off it.
Yes the ref was crap. Gave nothing to Dublin. MDMA’s black card was as soft as it gets.Aiden O Shea deserved at least black.
But Mayo are on a high..think they are in the way….NO WAY!!!
Dublin have a lot to improve..Mayo probably played as well as they can.
Different game next week. Wont see the same amount if fouling..so Mayo are goosed!!!
COYBIB!!!”
Anyone see what happened Rory O’ Carroll?
Sssshhhhh no one likes to point out that Mayo were the more cynical and dirty side! Anyone but Dublin eh?
Apparantly he was on the receiving end of an elbow to the head followed by 10 stiches.
Apparently but where is the video evidence? Evidence of cluxton kicking and McMahon head butting o Shea. Hopefully both are suspended.
It’s fairly conclusive. Dubs no angels but both teams were at it throughout the game
http://www.balls.ie/rory-ocarroll/306891?utm_source=whatsapp&utm_campaign=article&utm_medium=web
Do you have a clip what happened to Rory o carrol
Rory O Carroll gets opened up and nobody cares. Philly flicks o shea on the hair and it’s all our war! In replay Dubs be missing Connolly but Mayo will be without top scorer Joe McQuillan
Never underestimate the power of anti Dublin begrudgery mate
O’Shea and Keegan snuffs been sent off
I was there today not from either county taught Dublin Cooper nd mcmahon were a disgrace for of the ball stuff that I give out about Tyrone for. from what I could see conoly threw a punch so he gets straight red but keegan started there scuffle by stopping conoly making his run to support the play so he should get one as well even tho he didn’t punch
gwan Philly
Mc mahon was fouling oshea all day
Kerry will eat the pick of the two of them-great last 10 mins but as for the rest thank f–k for the small ball-thanks JBM walk tall- always a LEGEND-Bosco
In a previous comment I said that this match gave viewers a kinda “compromise ” rules match…wrestling,rugby,”paint drying” emotion and one I missed out on..Colin McGregor style scrapping.Not a match to tell the grand-kids about in years to come.
I presume now that there’s another angle that shows not only that Philly McMahon did not headbutt O’Shea, the incident was contrived by O’Shea, there’ll be a full retraction and apology by ye all.
Anyone who’s wondering what Bill is talking about check out Dubmatchtracker on Twitter and have a look at his latest post.
I’m sorry Tyrone, the Dubs are more horrible and nasty than you lot
Kerry will eat the pick of the two of them-great last 10 mins but as for the rest thank god for the small ball-thanks JBM walk tall- always a LEGEND
Glad I chose to sleep rather than getting up to watch that at all hours.
Not much of a headbutt to be fair but I suppose while O’Shea is moaning he didn’t drop like a sack of spuds, kudos for that at least.
Just saw YouTube highlights and with the Ref letting it go, that led to O’Shea trying to play through the man 5 minutes later. Lucky his elbow didn’t take him right out. All stems from the usual inadequate standard of GAA refereeing. Frustration builds across both sides and then you get the crappy niggle as a result.
Positives – hmmm with the replay more wedge for the GAA, excise returns will increase from the pump and the tap! At least the replay isn’t interfering with the rugby next week!
With the extra funds maybe the government should have an All Ireland bank holiday after both finals like the Victorian government have done here for the AFL final :) 4 days weeks are proven to be highly efficient!!