A Swiss court has cleared former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and former UEFA president and French football legend Michel Platini of any wrongdoing.
After it was discovered that FIFA had given Platini two million Swiss francs (£1.7 million) in 2015, criminal charges were brought against the two.
At the time, Platini, 67, led UEFA, and Blatter, 86, presided over FIFA.
“I want to convey my satisfaction for all my loved ones that justice has finally been done after seven years of lies and manipulation,” Platini said in a statement following the verdict.
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He added: “My fight is a fight against injustice. I won a first game.”
And in his reaction Blatter said: “I’m not speaking about FIFA, I’m not speaking about corruption, I’m speaking about me.
“I have done nothing wrong. I am clean with my conscious, I am clean in my spirit.”
The two men claimed that a “gentleman’s agreement” they struck in 1998 led to the payment in question being paid in 2011.
This version of events, according to the prosecution, is a “invention.”
It was alleged that Platini earned 300,000 Swiss francs ($118,000) annually while serving as FIFA’s technical director between 1998 and 2002.
Due to FIFA’s financial issues, it was decided that the remaining one million Swiss francs (£400,000) of his pay would be paid to him later.
Ten years later, Blatter was running for re-election as the leader of the global soccer governing organization when he authorized the transfer of monies from FIFA to Platini.
Regarding the contest between Mohamed bin Hammam of Qatar and Platini, the European voting caucus appeared to be under his control.
In 2015, the US government started a thorough investigation into allegations of bribery, fraud, and money laundering at FIFA, which resulted in Blatter resigning.
He and Platini were each given an eight-year football ban in 2015, albeit this was eventually shortened.
Platini asserted that the probe was a planned attempt to keep him from becoming the FIFA president.
Remember that Platini competed for France in 1978, 1982, and 1986 FIFA World Cups.
After Juventus defeated Liverpool 1-0 in 1985 final, they became the third Italian team to win the Champions League. He scored the lone goal from the penalty spot.