Ex-FIFA boss Blatter declares innocence in appeal trial
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Ex-FIFA boss Blatter declares innocence in appeal trial
Former FIFA boss Joseph 'Sepp' Blatter has opened his defence at a Swiss appeal trial which is hearing allegations of fraud.
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“Anything other than an acquittal is also out of the question in the appeal proceedings,” Blatter’s lawyer Lorenz Erni stated at the trial in Muttenz on Wednesday.
He criticised the charges relating to a payment of CHF2 million to Michel Platini in 2011, which was approved by former FIFA president Blatter.
“The Office of the Attorney General is not in a position to provide a motive for this payment,” said Erni. It borders on “malice” to imply that his client simply transferred CHF2 million “for nothing”.
In 2022, the Federal Criminal Court acquitted the former football officials Blatter and Platini of the fraud charges, among others. Following an appeal by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland, an extraordinary court is now reopening the case in Muttenz.
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Ex-FIFA duo Blatter and Platini face renewed fraud allegations
Translated from German by DeepL/mga
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