The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) charged both men with illegally arranging the payment of 2 million Swiss francs (current value US$2.05 million). “I want to express my happiness for all my loved ones that justice has finally been served after seven years of lies and manipulation,” Platini said in a statement, according to Reuters. “The truth came out during this trial,” he added. “I said it all the time: my fight is a fight against injustice. I won a first game.” As Blatter entered the courtroom to hear the verdict, he told reporters: “I am not innocent in my life, but in this case I am innocent.” During the trial in June, Blatter claimed the payment to Platini was a salary payment owed to the Frenchman for some consultancy work done with FIFA between 1998 and 2002. “It’s a salary that was owed. I don’t know why we’re in a criminal trial for an administrative procedure,” Blatter said. “Platini told me, I’m worth a million and I told him, so you’ll be with me for a million – a gentleman’s agreement,” the 86-year-old continued. The verdict is the culmination of an investigation that began in 2015. After the pair were acquitted, a FIFA spokesman said: “FIFA is aware of the Court’s verdict on the case opened by the OAG and will await the fully reasoned decision before commenting further.”
