Charges against former FIFA leaders Blatter and Platini for corruption: court has made a ruling.

Michel Platini and Sepp Blatter acquitted in corruption case

A court in Switzerland acquitted former UEFA president Michel Platini and ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter in a corruption case. This was reported by ESPN.

Blatter and Platini were accused of fraud, misappropriation of funds, criminally inefficient management, and document forgery.

In 2011, Blatter allegedly approved a payment of 2 million Swiss francs to Platini, which, according to the prosecution, was illegal.

In 2022, a lower court in Switzerland acquitted the officials after a seven-year investigation; however, the prosecution appealed this decision and sought to convict Platini and Blatter to 20 months in prison with a two-year probation period.

The extraordinary appeals chamber of the Swiss criminal court in the city of Muttenz confirmed the acquittal of the accused.

'After two acquittals, even the Swiss Attorney General has to understand that this criminal case has ultimately failed. It is Time to give Michel Platini some peace,' stated Platini's lawyer Dominique Nellen.

World Athletics has continued to suspend Russians and Belarusians from competing under its auspices.

The World Athletics Council, which met in Nanjing on March 24-25, made recommendations regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international tournaments without changes or new sanctions, unless circumstances worsen or a peace agreement is reached. This was stated by the organization's head Sebastian Coe at a press conference.

In November 2015, the All-Russian Athletics Federation (VFLA) was temporarily suspended from World Athletics due to a doping scandal. The suspension of VFLA was repeatedly extended thereafter.

Sanctions against Russia and Belarus came into effect at the end of February 2022 - after the start of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

In March 2023, the World Athletics Council decided to restore the full status of VFLA but continued to suspend Russian and Belarusian athletes due to Russian aggression against Ukraine.