BELLINZONA, Switzerland: The trial of former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and French footballing legend Michel Platini over alleged corrupt payments began in Switzerland on Wednesday with both defendants in a confident mood.
Swiss prosecutors accuse the pair, once among the game’s most powerful figures, of unlawfully arranging a payment of $2.08 million (2 million Swiss francs) in 2011. Blatter and Platini deny the charges.
Three judges at the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, will hear the case in the trial which runs until June 22. A verdict is due on July 8. If convicted, Platini and Blatter face up to five years in jail.
Both have denied wrongdoing and say they had a verbal agreement over the payment, which related to consultancy work by Platini between 1998 and 2002.
Blatter, once the most powerful figure in global football, arrived at the court looking frail and accompanied by his daughter Corinne and his lawyer.
“I am absolutely confident, the sun is shining ... and I’m in a good mood,” Blatter told journalists before the hearing.
“I know I have not done anything against the law. My life was football, for 45 years with FIFA. My life is football.”
Platini, a former UEFA President, also said he was confident, and joked he would have to take course in German so he could follow the proceedings.
“I am convinced that justice will be fully and definitively done to me after so many years of wild accusations and slander,” he said in statement before the trial began.
“We will prove in court that I acted with the utmost honesty, that the payment of the remaining salary was due to me by FIFA and is perfectly legal.”
The Swiss Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has accused Blatter and Platini of “fraud, in the alternative of misappropriation, in the further alternative of criminal mismanagement as well as of forgery of a document.
Platini, the former UEFA president who as a player captained France to victory in the 1984 European Championship, was also charged as an accomplice.
Blatter, 85, and Platini, 66, were both banned in 2016 from soccer for six years over the payment, made with Blatter’s approval for work done a decade earlier.
“FIFA has brought a civil action against both Blatter and Platini to have the money which was illegally misappropriated repaid to FIFA so it can be used for the sole purpose for which it was originally intended: football,” said FIFA’s lawyer Catherine Hohl-Chirazi.
Former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter’s trial over corrupt football payments begins
https://arab.news/2zmwk
Former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter’s trial over corrupt football payments begins
- Swiss prosecutors accuse Blatter, and former UEFA head Michel Platini of unlawfully arranging a payment of $2.08 million in 2011
Cycling legend Peter Sagan confirmed for L’Etape Dubai by Tour de France
- The event, presented by Skoda, returns to Dubai on Jan. 24-25
DUBAI: Legendary cyclist Peter Sagan has been confirmed for this year’s L’Etape Dubai by Tour de France presented Sy Škoda, which is set to see over 700 riders taking part on Jan. 24–25.
Part of the official L’Etape series (25 countries, more than 30 races), the event brings the Tour de France experience to amateur cyclists through closed-road routes designed to mimic international racing standards.
This year’s edition will see Sagan — former professional road cyclist, a seven-time Tour de France Green Jersey winner and three-time UCI Road World Championship winner — join hundreds of amateur cyclists on the Sunday.
As well as giving those taking part the chance to ride alongside one of the sport’s most recognizable figures, Sagan will join the finish-line celebrations in the Expo Village Park to present medals to riders as they finish.
Sagan said: “I have been watching closely as Dubai has emerged as a key destination for international sporting events, with cycling playing an increasingly prominent role. L’Etape Dubai builds on that by bringing the structure and standards of one of the world’s most renowned sporting experiences to riders in the city.”
In the build-up, L’Etape Dubai by Tour de France will host a series of community rides, leading up to a special ride on Jan. 18.
The main day of race weekend is Jan. 25, when two races will start simultaneously at 7am from Dubai Design District.
The Epic Race covers 112 kilometers, offering a demanding challenge for experienced cyclists, while the Classic Race spans 61 kilometers, catering to riders seeking a competitive yet achievable Tour de France–style experience. Both routes will finish in the Expo Village Park.
The addition of three designated sprint sections has also been confirmed, among them the Sagan Speed Challenge near Global Village, where the fastest woman and fastest man will each receive a special jersey presented by the man himself.
The weekend will also include family-focused events on Jan. 24, beginning with the Skoda Kids Race. Covering distances from 300 meters to 1.8 kilometers, it starts in two waves for different age groups from 9 a.m. There is also the Skoda Family Ride, a 20-kilometer route starting at 10am, designed to welcome riders of all ages in a relaxed and inclusive setting. Sagan will be present at the finishing line in Expo Village Park for both, offering families and young riders a chance to get up close to a true global sports legend.
Central to the weekend’s activities will be the L’Etape Village at Expo Village Park. Open throughout the event, it will bring the Tour de France atmosphere to life through immersive experiences such as the Tour de France Museum, memorabilia and feature walls, interactive exhibitor activations and family-friendly activities.
Lukas Honzak, managing director of Skoda Middle East said: “Cycling has been part of Skoda’s DNA for more than 130 years, and through L’Etape Dubai by Tour de France, we are proud to play a leading role in growing amateur cycling in the UAE, in line with the country’s vision for more active and healthy communities.”
Participant Andrea Pusateri said: “I lost my leg at the age of three, but sport has taught me that limits are only mental — not physical. Today I am the first Paralympics team captain in the history of the Giro d’Italia, and I use my story to promote inclusion and inspire people through cycling.
“Taking part in L’Etape is a dream for me. Riding in this iconic event, side by side with champions and thousands of passionate cyclists, represents exactly what I believe in — that sport belongs to everyone.”
The inaugural edition of L’Etape Dubai by Tour de France, held in 2025, set a new benchmark for amateur cycling events in the UAE, recording the highest participation for a first-edition race in the country. More than 1,000 cyclists took part, including 243 international riders and 266 Emiratis.
