Michel Platini was "worth his million Swiss francs" per annum, claimed Thursday's former president of Fifa Sepp Blatter. He explained that he "does not understand" why he is appearing in Switzerland for fraud along with his former advisor.
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"I just had that man at home and I was worth his million," ex-world football boss, 86, said. He was tired at Wednesday's hearing but alert for his Federal Criminal Court hearing on Thursday. Bellinzona (southeast).
Blatter stated that he had accepted orally the remuneration claimed in the triple Ballon d'Or in 2015. This was in 1995, after Blatter used his sporting charisma to take over Fifa's head in 1998 before making him his advisor.
"We had a poor record when I was elected president Fifa. He said, "I thought a man who had been in football could help us. Fifa and I."
Michel Platini told me that he was worth a million dollars. I said to him: "So you will be there for me for a million," added Valaisan. He was forced to resign in 2015 due to a massive corruption scandal and then banned from playing football following the inception of criminal proceedings.
Blatter is accused of validating in 2011 an invoice for 2,000,000 Swiss Francs (1.8 Million Euros) that was presented to Fifa almost nine years after he had finished his work as a consultant from 1998 through 2002.
The men had never signed an agreement for such a salary. However, their 1999 written contract already provided an annual remuneration in the amount of 300,000. Swiss Francs. This was fully paid by Fifa at the time.
Sepp Blatter reassured that he had reached an agreement with Michel Platini for a "balance" which would be paid "later" when Fifa's finances would permit it. This was in a "gentlemen’s agreement" made orally and without witnesses.
The Swiss reacted with fury, "It's due a salary." He was furious, his voice strangled and he repeated that he had already been subject to "seven years of imprisonment, an eternity". Michel Platini must speak the first time in the morning.
