The Paper's reporter Qi Dong
Platini and Blatter.
Beginning in 2015, international football set off an anti-corruption storm – a number of senior officials were arrested, world cup voting bribes were exposed, and then FIFA president Blatter himself was accused of a 2 million Swiss franc "deal" with Platini.
Subsequently, FIFA admitted that Blatter and two other former senior officials were also suspected of illegally profiting more than 79 million Swiss francs (about 71 million euros) in the past. Eventually was "grounded" by Blatter for 6 years.
Fast forward to 2021, close to the lifting of Blatter's ban, and on the 25th, according to the FIFA website, 85-year-old Blatter and former FIFA Secretary-General Jerome Valk were fined another 6 years and 8 months for violating the FIFA Code of Ethics and fined 1 million Swiss francs.
Blatter was "thrown money" at him.
From succeeding Avillange as FIFA president in 1998 to stepping down in June 2015, Blatter has been a "calling the wind" figure in international football for nearly 20 years.
But the anti-corruption storm set off by U.S. prosecutors in 2015 ultimately left him late.
One of the most important "charges" exposed was an "underground deal" between him and former UEFA president Platini - in 2011, he paid Platini a "gratuity" of 2 million Swiss francs (now about 14 million yuan), but this amount was not named and was considered to be used to "buy" the support of the other side in the election.
But in Blatter's eyes, he never committed a "crime."
In an interview with The Guardian earlier, Blatter insisted that the money was just a verbal agreement between himself and Platini as a reward for inviting the other party to work at FIFA – the only mistake was that it was not implemented on paper.
This statement is also consistent with his consistent statement. As early as the end of 2015, he said, "This was confirmed at two meetings of the UEFA Executive Committee." ”
"The agreement was discussed and it was confirmed that these discussions had taken place, and these are all documented. So we can prove that this agreement is not just known to me and Platini. ”
For the various blows he has suffered, Blatter has never "repented", saying that he has become a "target" for only two words: jealousy.
"In Switzerland, you shouldn't be too successful and people will hate you for it."
Editor-in-Charge: Ascendas