Ex-Fifa boss Blatter says he is victim of witch hunt ahead of new court hearing

Sepp Blatter, the former head of soccer's global governing body Fifa, is looking forward to clearing his name at a new court hearing into allegations he made corrupt payments to French footballing great Michel Platini.

Blatter, who was president of Fifa from 1998 to 2015, told Reuters on Tuesday he was innocent and the victim of a witch hunt ahead of the appeals hearing which starts on Monday.

The 88-year-old is due to appear in court in Switzerland alongside former France captain and manager Platini, once seen as his eventual successor at the top of world football.

Both were cleared in 2022 at a lower Swiss court after a seven-year investigation into a payment of 2-million Swiss francs (R41m), a decision contested by Swiss prosecutors.

“The Federal Criminal Court in 2022 said the contract between Platini and me was correct, and I expect the new court will confirm this first decision,” Blatter told Reuters, adding the upcoming appeal was “absolute nonsense”.

“It's a witch hunt against me, it feels like a vendetta,” Blatter added. “I am completely confident I will be cleared, I am an honest man.”

The case goes back to a payment Fifa made to Platini when he was boss of European football's governing body Uefa in 2011, with Blatter's approval, for work done 10 years earlier.

In the 2022 case, a judge said the pair's account of a 'gentleman's agreement' for Fifa to pay Platini 2-million Swiss francs for consulting work between 1998 and 2002 was credible, and that serious doubts existed about the prosecution's allegation that it was a fraudulent payment.

“The payment was made based on a contract and the first court agreed,” said Blatter. “It was correctly implemented and there was no bribery in any way.”

Platini, a three-time European footballer of the year, also denies the fraud charges “100%” said his lawyer Dominic Nellen.

The 69-year-old Frenchman, who after hanging up his boots helped organise the 1998 World Cup in his homeland, was confident he would be cleared again, Nellen said.

“My client was clearly acquitted by the court of first instance. It is incomprehensible the Office of the attorney-general of Switzerland has appealed the case,” Nellen told Reuters.

As a result of the investigation, Blatter and Platini both lost their jobs and were banned from the sport for several years.

In the upcoming Swiss hearing, federal prosecutors are seeking sentences of 20 months against both Blatter and Platini, suspended for two years.

The proceedings, due to take place at the Extraordinary Appeals Chamber of the Swiss Criminal Court, will start in Muttenz, near Basel on Monday, with a verdict expected on March 25.

Blatter said he was looking forward to putting the case behind him, adding he was happy after international matches on television and local games in his home canton of Valais.

“I truly hope this ends the matter,” Blatter said. “I'll be happy when everything is over and I can live in peace.” 

Reuters