Fallen football chiefs Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini face fraud trails

• Battler and Platini will face trial on Wednesday for illegal payment.
• Both are on the trial for a transaction of two million Swiss francs.
• Platini has won three Ballon d’Or.

Two of the most powerful men in the world and European football, Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, face trial on Wednesday for a suspected illegal payment that shocked the sport and effectively ended their reigns at the top.

Former FIFA presidents Blatter, 86, and Platini, 66, begin a two-week trial in the southern Swiss city of Bellinzona, following a six-year probe that began in 2015.

Read more: Platini and Blatter fraud trial set for June

The two are on trial for a two million Swiss franc ($2.08 million) payment made in 2011 to Platini, who was then president of UEFA, the governing body of European soccer.

They are accused of illegally obtaining 229,126 francs (plus social security contributions) in favour of Platini, to FIFA’s harm.

According to the court, the former French football star “submitted to FIFA in 2011 an allegedly fictitious invoice for a (alleged) debt still existing for his activity as an adviser for FIFA in the years 1998 to 2002.”

Both defendants are accused of fraud and document fabrication. Blatter is charged with misappropriation and criminal mismanagement, and Platini is charged with participation in these offences.

The indictment was filed by the Office of Switzerland’s Attorney General (OAG).

Read more: France blames ‘massive’ ticket fraud for Champions League fiasco

The trial will conclude on June 22, and the judgement will be rendered by the three judges on July 8.

The defendants face the possibility of up to five years in prison or a fine.

The headquarters of both FIFA and UEFA are in Switzerland, in Zurich and Nyon, respectively.

Ballon d’Or

Sepp Blatter joined FIFA in 1975, served as its general secretary from 1981 to 1998, and was elected as the organization’s president in 1998.

He was forced to resign in 2015 and was banned by FIFA for eight years, later reduced to six, for ethics violations for allegedly authorising the payment to Platini in his own interests rather than FIFA’s.

Platini is regarded as one of the greatest players in world football history. In 1983, 1984, and 1985, he won the Ballon d’Or, considered the most prestigious individual award.

Read more: France holds meeting to prevent repeat of Champions League chaos

Platini has won fewer Ballons d’Or than only Lionel Messi (seven) and Cristiano Ronaldo (five).

Platini served as the president of UEFA from January 2007 until December 2015.

Platini filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which reduced his initial eight-year suspension to half.