Blatter and Platini back in Swiss court in long-running legal saga
Al JazeeraMAR 12
Blatter, Platini Return to Court for Retrial in FIFA Fraud Case
Above: Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter next to his lawyer outside the court house in Muttenz near Basel, Switzerland, on March 3, 2025. Image copyright: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
This retrial is absolutely nonsensical and a waste of time and public resources, as the Federal Criminal Court confirmed that the contract between Blatter and Platini at the heart of this case was legitimate. Hopefully, Swiss federal prosecutors carrying out this witch hunt will not succeed.
Narrative B
Blatter and Platini were acquitted in the first trial due to a lack of conclusive evidence, so it's only natural that prosecutors have appealed for a retrial. The latter was paid for his consultancy services only years later, and based on a verbal agreement is a red flag indicating their business dealings were murky.