Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • Customs Intercept Containers Of Codeine, Tramadol Worth N20.5bn At Onne Ports
    • Petrol Tanker Explodes In Ibadan
    • Ex-Kogi Senator, Dino Melaye Makes First Court Appearance As Lawyer
    • The Constitution Debate: Same Old Wine In New Bottles – By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah
    • WAFCON: Nigeria Trounce Zambia 5-0, Soar Into Semi-Final
    • Manchester United Agree £65m Deal To Sign Brentford’s Mbeumo
    • Palestinian Child Shot Dead In West Bank By Israeli Forces Amid Land Grabs
    • Brazil’s Supreme Court Says Ex-President, Bolsonaro Must Wear Monitoring Device
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    NEWS POINT NIGERIANEWS POINT NIGERIA
    UBA 720X90
    • HOME
    • NEWS

      Customs Intercept Containers Of Codeine, Tramadol Worth N20.5bn At Onne Ports

      July 19, 2025

      Petrol Tanker Explodes In Ibadan

      July 19, 2025

      Ex-Kogi Senator, Dino Melaye Makes First Court Appearance As Lawyer

      July 19, 2025

      ‘I Cannot Guarantee Your Safety’, Edo Governor Warns Peter Obi Over Unannounced Visits

      July 18, 2025

      In Kano, Tinubu Mourns Dantata, Hails His Integrity, Lifelong Philanthropy

      July 18, 2025
    • COLUMN

      The Constitution Debate: Same Old Wine In New Bottles – By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah

      July 19, 2025

      Musings On Muhammadu Buhari – By Azu Ishiekwene

      July 17, 2025

      Today, We Give Way To Our Readers To React – By Dr Hassan Gimba

      July 14, 2025

      Is The World Shutting Its Door To Nigeria? – By Dr Dakuku Peterside

      July 14, 2025

      The Salvo From Boss Mustapha – By Kazeem Akintunde

      July 14, 2025
    • EDUCATION

      13 Countries Offering Free Or Low-Cost PhD Programmes For Non-Citizens

      January 25, 2025

      NECO: Abia, Imo Top Performing States In Two Years, Katsina, Zamfara Come Last

      October 3, 2024

      NBTE Accredits 17 Programmes At Federal Polytechnic Kabo

      August 20, 2024

      15 Most Expensive Universities In Nigeria

      May 19, 2024

      FULL LIST: Tinubu Appoints Former SGF Yayale, Ex-Governor Yuguda, Muhammad Abacha, Jega In Universities’ Governing Councils

      May 18, 2024
    • INTERNATIONAL

      Palestinian Child Shot Dead In West Bank By Israeli Forces Amid Land Grabs

      July 19, 2025

      Brazil’s Supreme Court Says Ex-President, Bolsonaro Must Wear Monitoring Device

      July 19, 2025

      Israel Kills Three In Gaza Catholic Church Sheltering Elderly, Children

      July 17, 2025

      Iraq Shopping Mall Fire Kills Over 60 Persons, Mostly Women, Children

      July 17, 2025

      Three Killed As Israel Bombs Syrian Defence Ministry, Near Presidential Palace

      July 16, 2025
    • JUDICIARY

      FULL LIST: Judicial Council Recommends Appointment Of 11 Supreme Court Justices

      December 6, 2023

      Supreme Court: Judicial Council Screens 22 Nominees, Candidates Face DSS, Others

      November 29, 2023

      FULL LIST: Judicial Commission Nominates 22 Justices For Elevation To Supreme Court

      November 16, 2023

      Seven Key Issues Resolved By Seven Supreme Court Judges

      October 26, 2023

      FULL LIST: CJN To Swear In Falana’s Wife, 57 Others As SANs November 27

      October 12, 2023
    • POLITICS

      What Peter Obi May Lose If He Joins Coalition As VP Candidate

      May 25, 2025

      Atiku Moves To Unseat Wike’s Damagum As PDP Chairman, Backs Suswam As Replacement

      April 15, 2024

      Edo’s Senator Matthew Uroghide, Others Defect To APC

      April 13, 2024

      Finally, Wike Opens Up On Rift With Peter Odili

      April 2, 2024

      El-Rufa’i’s Debt Burden: APC Suspends Women Leader For Criticising Kaduna Gov

      March 31, 2024
    • SPORTS

      WAFCON: Nigeria Trounce Zambia 5-0, Soar Into Semi-Final

      July 19, 2025

      Manchester United Agree £65m Deal To Sign Brentford’s Mbeumo

      July 19, 2025

      Liverpool Close In On Bundesliga Star, Ekitike In £70m-Plus Deal

      July 17, 2025

      Super Falcons, Zambia Clash Friday In WAFCON Quarter-Final

      July 16, 2025

      Real Madrid’s Bellingham To Miss 12 Weeks After Shoulder Surgery

      July 16, 2025
    • MORE
      • AFRICA
      • ANALYSIS
      • BUSINESS
      • ENTERTAINMENT
      • FEATURED
      • LENS SPEAK
      • INFO – TECH
      • INTERVIEW
      • NIGERIA DECIDES
      • OPINION
      • Personality Profile
      • Picture of the month
      • Science
      • Special Project
      • Videos
      • Weekend Sports
    NEWS POINT NIGERIANEWS POINT NIGERIA
    UBA 720X90
    Home - Football Giants, Blatter, Platini Back In Court Over Swiss Fifa Fraud Case

    Football Giants, Blatter, Platini Back In Court Over Swiss Fifa Fraud Case

    By EditorMarch 4, 2025
    Blatter Platini

    FORMER Fifa president Sepp Blatter and French football legend Michel Platini are back in court in Switzerland to face accusations of fraud.

    In 2022, the pair were acquitted in a trial over a payment of 2m Swiss francs (£1.6m) made to Platini and authorised by Blatter in 2011.

    Both men denied wrongdoing and said the transfer was belated payment for Fifa advisory work by Platini, who formerly led European football’s governing body Uefa.

    UBA

    But the Swiss federal prosecutor appealed against the decision. The new trial is expected to last until Thursday, with a verdict due on 25 March.

    The pair appeared before an appeals court in Muttenz, near Basel, on Monday. Blatter, 88, reaffirmed that he was innocent.

    WIDGET ADS

    “When you talk about falsehoods, lies and deception, that’s not me. That didn’t exist in my whole life,” he told the court.

    A lawyer for Platini, 69, said the lower court that acquitted the pair in 2022 had been “right to find that the disputed payment of 2m francs was lawful”.

    Thomas Sankara African Leadership Prize

    Platini had an illustrious playing career and is a three-time winner of the Ballon d’Or – Europe’s highest individual football award.

    He captained France to victory at the 1984 European Championship and won the 1985 European Cup with Juventus. He went on to coach the French national team and became Uefa president in 2007.

    Nigerian TAX Reform - Federal Goverment

    In 2015, prosecutors accused the pair of deceiving Fifa about payments made to Platini.

    In his testimony at the first trial, Blatter said that he had asked Platini to work as his adviser in 1998. He added that at the time, Fifa could not afford the 1m Swiss francs annual fee requested by Platini.

    They instead settled on partial payment, with the outstanding balance to be paid at a later date. Platini said during the trial: “I trusted the president, and knew he would pay me one day.”

    National Orientation Agency Page UP
    National Orientation Agency - Down

    He stopped working for Fifa in 2002 but initially did not pursue the payment as he told the court he had not needed the money at the time, and – according to Blatter – Fifa was “broke”. In January 2011, however, Platini felt he was in a position to send an invoice and the money was paid after approval by Blatter.

    Following an investigation launched in 2015, Swiss prosecutors accused Blatter and Platini of forgery and fraud.

    Also in 2015, Fifa suspended both men from football for ethics breaches – originally for eight years, although their exclusions were later reduced.

    In 2022, Switzerland’s federal criminal court in Bellinzona cleared the two after accepting their account of a “gentlemen’s agreement” for the payment.

    Swiss businessman and sports administrator Blatter joined Fifa in 1975, became general secretary in 1981 and then president of world football’s governing body in 1998.

    He remained in the role for 17 years until resigning amid corruption investigations. Platini later withdrew his own candidacy for president.

    Blatter Court Platini
    Share. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp LinkedIn Telegram Email

    Related Posts

    WAFCON: Nigeria Trounce Zambia 5-0, Soar Into Semi-Final

    July 19, 2025

    Manchester United Agree £65m Deal To Sign Brentford’s Mbeumo

    July 19, 2025

    ‘How SunTrust Bank MD, Halima Buba Swapped $12m In 10 Days’, Witness Tells Court

    July 17, 2025

    Liverpool Close In On Bundesliga Star, Ekitike In £70m-Plus Deal

    July 17, 2025
    Add A Comment
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Latest Posts

    Customs Intercept Containers Of Codeine, Tramadol Worth N20.5bn At Onne Ports

    July 19, 2025

    Petrol Tanker Explodes In Ibadan

    July 19, 2025

    Ex-Kogi Senator, Dino Melaye Makes First Court Appearance As Lawyer

    July 19, 2025

    The Constitution Debate: Same Old Wine In New Bottles – By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah

    July 19, 2025

    WAFCON: Nigeria Trounce Zambia 5-0, Soar Into Semi-Final

    July 19, 2025
    Advertisement
    WIDGET ADS
    News Point NG
    © 2025 NEWS POINT NIGERIA Developed by ENGRMKS & CO.
    • Home
    • About us
    • Disclaimer
    • Our Advert Rates
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Join Us On WhatsApp