In the fraud case that in 2015 ended Michel Platini's hopes of reaching the top of international football, the Swiss Sepp Blatter was acquitted in Switzerland.
The Federal Criminal Court of Bellinzona didn't follow the requisitions of prosecution. They had asked in mid-June for one year and eighteen months of suspended sentences, while the accused claimed their innocence.
Two weeks ago, the 67 year-old Frenchman, and the 86 year-old Swiss appeared in court to deny having illegally obtained 2 million Swiss Francs (1.8 million euros) at Fifa.
One point was agreed upon by defense and prosecution: Sepp Blatter received excellent advice from the Triple Ballon d'Or between 1998-2002, when he was the first term as head of Fifa. In 1999, the two men signed a contract agreeing to an annual remuneration in the amount of 300,000. Swiss francs. This entire payment was made entirely by Fifa.
In January 2011, however, the ex-midfielder - who was in the interim UEFA President (2007-2015), - "claimed a Claim of 2 Million Swiss Francs", which was deemed a "false invoice" by the 'charge.
They insist that the two men were on their side and had decided from the beginning on a salary of one million Swiss Francs per year, through an oral "gentlemen’s agreement" without witnesses and without Fifa not allowing immediate payment to Michel Platini.
