Muttenz, Switzerland. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and ex-UEFA chief Michel Platini secured another legal victory on Tuesday, as a Swiss federal appeals court acquitted them for a second time in a financial misconduct case dating back a decade.

The case, centered on a $2 million payment from FIFA to Platini in 2011, accused the two of fraud, forgery, mismanagement, and misappropriation of funds. However, the judges ruled in their favor, reinforcing their claim that the payment was based on a verbal agreement for consultancy work done between 1998 and 2002.

Blatter, now 89, remained mostly silent as the verdict was read, occasionally tapping his fingers on the desk or covering his mouth. Sitting behind Platini, he showed little emotion until the court proceedings concluded. Afterward, he smiled, shook hands with his lawyer, and shared a heartfelt embrace with his daughter.

"My daughter was in tears because she always believed in me, just as I believed in myself," Blatter said. "This has been a long and painful process that deeply affected my family."

Platini, 69, sat with his arms folded, listening to the translated verdict. As he left the courtroom, he declared, "This persecution by FIFA and some Swiss prosecutors is now over. My honor has been restored."

Prosecution Faces Another Setback

Swiss federal prosecutors had challenged the duo’s initial acquittal in July 2022, seeking 20-month suspended sentences. They alleged the payment unjustly enriched Platini while harming FIFA’s finances.

However, the appeals court dismissed these claims, prompting Platini’s lawyer, Dominic Nellen, to urge authorities to drop the case. "Michel Platini must finally be left in peace," Nellen stated. "Two acquittals should make it clear that these criminal proceedings have failed."

The Swiss attorney general’s office is still considering a final appeal to the country’s supreme court.

While the legal battle ultimately cleared them, the allegations against Blatter and Platini triggered one of FIFA’s most transformative periods.

In September 2015, Swiss authorities launched their investigation just as Platini was positioned to succeed Blatter as FIFA president. However, both men were suspended by FIFA’s ethics committee the following month, derailing Platini’s ambitions. With his path blocked, UEFA instead put forward its general secretary, Gianni Infantino, who went on to win the FIFA presidency in 2016 and remains in power today.

Despite their acquittals, Blatter and Platini’s reputations remain tarnished. Blatter, who led FIFA for nearly two decades, is still banned from football until 2028 due to separate ethics violations, while Platini's suspension expired in 2019.

‘Gentleman’s Agreement’ Defense

Throughout the legal process—including hearings at FIFA, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and Swiss courts—Blatter and Platini have maintained that their agreement was based on an unwritten "gentleman’s agreement."

Platini, a former captain and coach of France’s national team, had helped Blatter win FIFA’s presidency in 1998. In return, he was hired as a consultant with a salary of 300,000 Swiss francs ($340,000) per year. The remaining balance, they claimed, was deferred due to FIFA’s financial limitations at the time and was only settled in 2011.

The payment came under scrutiny in 2015 amid broader FIFA corruption investigations linked to World Cup bidding scandals. Although the latest court ruling has again cleared Blatter and Platini, their legacy remains forever shaped by the controversy.