Share

Blatter wishes Platini bribery case would come to an end

Zurich - Sepp Blatter said on Thursday that he is growing impatient.

The former FIFA president has been under investigation since 2015 over an "illegal payment" to Michel Platini, and would like the whole thing to be wrapped up.

Blatter, talking to journalists in Zurich on Thursday, said "nothing" had happened since September 2015, the date of the opening of proceedings against him for "corrupt management" stemming from the two million Swiss Franc payment to Platini, the former head of European governing body UEFA, adding "it's a bit long".

The lawyers of both men were summoned two weeks ago by the Swiss courts in Bern.

"Platini has appealed to the European Court of Human Rights, two weeks ago the Swiss court heard the Platini clan in Bern, my lawyer was also present and he again showed that the payment to Platini was done correctly," Blatter explained.

Blatter, who is 82, was president of FIFA from 1998 until June 2015 when he quit days after winning relection for a fifth term as a wave of scandals broke.

He was later banned from football by FIFA for eight years, a sentence then reduced to six years over a payment to Platini, his former friend and ally.

Unlike Blatter, Platini has fought his own, four-year, ban in the civil courts. After being rebuffed by a Swiss tribunal, the Frenchman turned to Strasbourg.

"I wish we could finish," Blatter said. "What I want to do is work alongside Swiss justice but also find the arguments necessary to obtain a reversal of the decision of the (FIFA) ethics commission."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
64% - 354 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
36% - 196 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE