(Football news) A Swiss court has cleared former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and former UEFA President Michel Platini of corruption charges today. The Federal Criminal Court in the southern city of Bellinzona cleared Blatter, who had been FIFA President for 17 years of fraud while Platini was also acquitted of the charges. Prosecutors had accused Blatter and Platini of wrongfully arranging a sum of two million Swiss francs (£1.7m) in 2011 to the former France national team captain. 

The accusations resulted in Blatter resigning from his position and Platini succeeding him as FIFA President. According to Blatter, the payment to Platini was for his role as technical advisor in 1998 as per a “gentleman’s agreement” between the pair. When the payment came to light, the US Department of Justice launched an investigation into bribery, fraud and money-laundering at FIFA in 2015, resulting in both Blatter and Platini being banned for eight years in 2015, a sentence which was later reduced.

According to Platini, the accusations were a deliberate attempt to sabotage his attempt to become FIFA President in 2015 with Gianni Infantino, former general secretary at UEFA eventually taking over the role in 2016. Speaking following the verdict, Platini said: "I want to express my happiness for all my loved ones that justice has finally been done after seven years of lies and manipulation. My fight is a fight against injustice. I won the first game. 

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