Blatter & Platini Walk Free Again – FIFA’s Big Names Cleared of Corruption Charges (Again!)
The football world just got another plot twist! Former FIFA boss Sepp Blatter and French football icon Michel Platini have been cleared of corruption charges again. That’s right! The Swiss Criminal Court’s Extraordinary Appeals Chamber in Muttenz (near Basel, Switzerland) just gave them the all-clear on Tuesday, putting an end to a scandal that shook the football universe.
For those who missed the first round, this saga started back in 2011 when a hefty 2 million Swiss francs (£1.6m) was transferred to Platini, who was then UEFA president. The Swiss Attorney General’s Office wasn’t having it and took them to court. Fast-forward to 2022, and they were found not guilty—but prosecutors weren’t ready to let it slide. They appealed, and boom, we got a sequel in 2024!
This week, after two and a half years of legal battles, the court once again ruled in favor of Blatter and Platini. Fraud? Nah. Mismanagement? Not proven. The verdict remains the same: not guilty. That’s gotta feel like scoring a last-minute goal in extra time!
Blatter and Platini were once two of the most powerful men in world football. However, this scandal derailed their careers, leading to their FIFA bans in 2015. Platini had dreams of taking over as FIFA president, but let’s say that dream crashed harder than a poorly timed tackle.
Swiss federal prosecutors were determined to get a different result this time. They wanted 20-month suspended sentences for both men. But once again, the court didn’t see any wrongdoing, and the case was dismissed. Talk about a failed VAR check!
For Blatter and Platini, this is a major W. But does this mean they’re making a football comeback? Probably not. Their reputations took a serious hit, and FIFA’s got new faces running the show, and still, walking away twice from corruption charges? That’s a headline they’ll be happy to hold onto.
It’s been a wild ride, but the verdict is in again. Blatter and Platini are officially in the clear, at least legally. Will the football world ever see them in the same light again? That’s a whole different ball game. Stay tuned for more football drama because let’s be real, there’s always more!
