Governing Bodies
Blatter says Platini payment followed ‘gentleman’s agreement
Ex-FIFA President Sepp Blatter denied approving fraudulent payments to French football legend Michel Platini, telling a Swiss court on Thursday that a cash transfer followed a “gentleman’s agreement” between the pair.
Swiss prosecutors accuse the two men, once among football’s most powerful figures, of illegally arranging the 2 million Swiss franc ($2.04 million) payment in 2011. Blatter and Platini both deny the charges.
Blatter gave testimony to the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona after being excused on health grounds on Wednesday.
The 86-year-old said he had asked Platini to be his advisor after the Swiss official was elected FIFA president for the first time in 1998.
Platini asked to be paid 1 million francs per year but Blatter told the Frenchman that FIFA could not afford such a salary.
Instead they agreed Platini, one of the greatest players of his generation, would be paid 300,000 francs per year, with the outstanding cash to be paid at a later date.
“I knew when we started with Michel Platini that is not the total, and we would look at it later,” Blatter said referring to the agreed 300,000 francs salary for the job of technical consultant.
Sealed with a handshake, Blatter said the arrangement was a so-called “gentleman’s agreement”.
“It was an agreement between two sportsmen,” Blatter said. “I found nothing wrong with that.”
Platini signed a written contract with FIFA in 1999, but it specified only a salary of 300,000 francs, with no mention of the extra payments.
The former French national team captain said he trusted Blatter and believed he would be paid in full eventually.
“I trusted the president, and knew he would pay me one day.” Platini told the court.
FIFA’s fragile financial position in the early 2000s after the collapse of its broadcast partner meant the organisation could not pay immediately when Platini stopped his work as technical advisor in 2002. Blatter described the organisation as “broke.”
Platini, who led France to victory in the 1984 European Championship, did not pursue the outstanding debt until 2010, telling the court he did not need the money.
The 66-year-old decided to claim the money after hearing that two former FIFA employees had received substantial payments.
Platini said he contacted FIFA and was informed the organisation did owe him money and should send an invoice. He sent FIFA a claim for 2 million francs in January 2011 and was paid 10 days later after the invoice was approved by Blatter, he said.
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, who later became UEFA president, was also charged as an accomplice.
A verdict is due on July 8. If convicted, Platini and Blatter face up to five years in jail.
Both officials were banned in 2016 from soccer for six years over the payment.
-Reuters
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
Visit the Sports Village Square Channel:
UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
Visit the Sports Village Square Channel:
https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
VIDEO: GHD Documentary Celebrates Kunle Solaja’s Remarkable Journey Across 10 FIFA World Cups
adidas Unveils Gold-Coloured TRIONDA FINAL Ball For World Cup’s Closing Stages
Hossam Hassan Blames Refereeing Decisions For Egypt’s Heartbreaking Exit
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- World Cup6 days ago
What a Load of Rubbish! How Senegal Threw Away a World Cup Dream
- World Cup2 days ago
Bizarre! FIFA makes U-turn to clear Balogun for US v Belgium World Cup clash following call from Trump
- World Cup1 week ago
Beyond the World Cup: A Journalist’s Reflection at Ground Zero
- World Cup6 days ago
Cry for Africa, My Beloved Continent: How four decades of World Cup heartbreak continue to haunt African football
- World Cup6 days ago
Celebrating a Decade of World Cup Coverage: A Tribute to Kunle Solaja
- World Cup4 days ago
Pharaohs End World Cup Knockout Hoodoo, Beat Australia on Penalties to Reach Last 16
- World Cup1 week ago
Mbappe Double Fires France into Last 16 as Sweden Swept Aside
- World Cup2 days ago
Article 27: The Little-Known FIFA Rule Behind Balogun’s World Cup Reprieve