Swiss Prosecutor Seeks Suspended Sentences for Blatter, Platini

Swiss prosecutor Thomas Hildbrand has requested suspended sentences of 20 months for former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and ex-UEFA president Michel Platini in their ongoing corruption case, following their 2022 acquittal. The case, stemming from a controversial payment of two million Swiss francs made to Platini in 2011 for consultancy services, has been a significant legal saga since Blatter's resignation amid a corruption scandal in 2015. The prosecution argues that the previous acquittal was based on insufficient evidence, claiming that the payment lacked legitimacy as a consultancy fee. The Extraordinary Appeal Court in Muttenz is expected to deliver its verdict on March 25. Hildbrand noted that he did not seek actual prison time for the defendants, who are now aged 88 and 69. The defense maintains that the payment was justified, citing an oral contract from the 1990s.