Former UEFA president Michel Platini claimed that FIFA “owed” him the two million Swiss francs ($2.2 million) at the centre of the case on Monday at a Swiss appeals court where his acquittal on fraud charges is being reviewed.
During the beginning of his hearing, the French three-time Ballon d’Or winner stated, “I still don’t understand why the public prosecutor’s office is picking on me.”
The Attorney General’s office (OAG) of the nation has requested that the special appeals court in Muttenz, close to Basel, reopen proceedings against Platini, 69, and former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who will turn 89 on March 10.
Blatter resigned as FIFA’s head in 2015 amid a corruption scandal, sparking the start of the protracted legal battle. It is caused by the two million Swiss francs that were not paid on time. In 2011, Platini—who served as UEFA president from 2007 to 2015—was compensated by FIFA for consulting services.
In June 2022, the Swiss Federal Court cleared the two of allegations including “disloyal management,” “breach of trust,” and “forgery of securities.”
Since fraud was “not established with a likelihood bordering on certainty,” the Federal Court granted them the benefit of the doubt.
Platini returned to court Monday, stating that he was “surprised” when Blatter initially enquired about his wage expectations when he joined the team as an advisor to help him win the 1998 presidential election.
“As I didn’t know this world, the world of FIFA, I randomly said ‘one million’,” stated Platini.
“‘One million of what?’ he questioned me. ‘One million of whatever you want: roubles, pesetas, lire’ was my attempt at a joke. “One million Swiss francs,” remarked Mr. Blatter.
Blatter allegedly informed Platini, who had been giving him advice without a formal contract, in 1999 that he was unable to pay him the million, so the two men came to an agreement in writing for 300,000 Swiss francs.
“He told me: ‘I’ll give you the balance later, when we have money at FIFA, ’” stated Platini.
The public prosecutor accurately characterised his 2011 invoice as a “false invoice” intended to defraud the organisation.
Platini said that if FIFA hadn’t paid the bill, he would have filed a lawsuit.
“A contract is a contract, a word is a word,” he stated. “FIFA owed me that money and I would have done anything to get it back.”
Blatter claimed on Monday to have reached “a gentleman’s agreement” with Platini, but that the deal was just verbal, made in the absence of witnesses, and was not recorded in FIFA’s books.
