By Michel Platini, ex-boss of Uefa, are returning to a Swiss court on Monday as fraud charges against them are examined once again. The legal battle that shook global football is far from over.
The Swiss Attorney General’s office (OAG) has pushed to reopen the case, seeking a fresh review of allegations that led to Blatter’s downfall and Platini’s tarnished legacy. The hearing will take place in Muttenz, near Basel, adding another chapter to a scandal that first erupted nearly a decade ago.
Blatter, who turns 89 this month, and 69-year-old Platini were both cleared by Switzerland’s Federal Court in June 2022. They had faced charges including disloyal management, breach of trust, and document forgery.
The case centers around a controversial payment of two million Swiss francs made by Fifa to Platini back in 2011, supposedly for consultancy work. Prosecutors argued the payment was irregular and lacked proper documentation.
Blatter stepped down from Fifa in 2015 amid a wider corruption crisis, while Platini’s hopes of succeeding him vanished in the fallout. Both men have consistently denied any wrongdoing, insisting the payment was legitimate.
With football’s old guard back in court, the hearing serves as a reminder of the sport’s troubled recent past — and the price even the most powerful figures pay when money and power collide at the top of the game.
