Sepp Blatter, former FIFA chief, Michel Platini, ex-UEFA president cleared of corruption charges

Zurich: A Swiss court on Friday acquitted former FIFA and UEFA presidents Sepp Blatter and Michael Platini of corruption charges.

Former UEFA president Platini and Blatter, who led FIFA for 17 years, were cleared of fraud by a federal criminal court in the southern city of Bellinzona. Both administrators, once the most powerful figures in world football, have denied the charges against them.

In 2011, when Blatter was FIFA president and Platini was vice-president of the global governing body, the world football's most powerful rulers were accused of organizing a two-million Swiss-franc money payment, for which they were cleared of charges.

The case meant Blatter ended his reign as FIFA president in disgrace and it wrecked Platini's hopes of succeeding him after he was banned from football when the affair came to light.

Blatter had said the payment followed a "gentlemen's agreement" between the pair when he asked Platini to be his technical advisor in 1998, IANS reported.

Platini, who also lost his job as UEFA president following the ban, had said the affair was a deliberate attempt to thwart his attempt to become FIFA president in 2015.

Speaking following the verdict, Platini said, "I want to express my happiness for all my loved ones that justice has finally been done after seven years of lies and manipulation."

"My fight is a fight against injustice. I won the first game. In this case, there are culprits who did not appear during this trial. Let them count on me, we will meet again. Because I will not give up and I will go all the way in my quest for truth, Platini was quoted as saying by Skysports.

"Believe me, going from being a legend of world soccer to a devil is very difficult, especially when it comes to you in a totally unfair way."

A statement from the Swiss Attorney General's Office in response to the verdict said,

"The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has taken note of the decision of the Criminal Chamber of the Federal Criminal Court. Once the Court has issued the written reasoning of its decision, the OAG will decide about how to proceed further."