Former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini were on Tuesday charged with fraud and other offences by Swiss authorities for an unlawful payment of over 2 million Swiss Franc (£1.35 million).

In a statement, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland said, “The OAG accuses Joseph Blatter of fraud, in the alternative of misappropriation, in the further alternative of criminal mismanagement as well as of forgery of a document”. 

“Michel Platini is accused of fraud, in the alternative of participating in misappropriation, for in the further alternative of participating in criminal mismanagement, as an accomplice, as well as of forgery of a document,” it added. 

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Blatter, 85, and Platini, 65, now face trial within months at a federal criminal court in Bellinzona. 

“This payment damaged Fifa’s assets and unlawfully enriched Platini,” prosecutors said. 

The case from September 2015 saw Blatter being ousted from his position as FIFA chief ahead of schedule and ended former France international Platini’s bid to succeed his former mentor. 

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The case centres on Platini’s written request to FIFA in January 2011 to pay backdated salary for working as an advisor to the president during Blatter’s first term from 1998-2002. 

Blatter authorised FIFA to make the payment,
as he was preparing to contest his re-election against Mohammed bin Hammam of Qatar.
Platini’s influence among European voters was key in Blatter’s bid to remain
FIFA chief.

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Blatter and Platini have both denied any
wrongdoings in the case and said they had a verbal agreement in place, made
over 20 years ago – for the payment.

Blatter has been charged with fraud,
mismanagement, misappropriation of Fifa funds and forgery of a document.
Platini has been charged with fraud, misappropriation, forgery and as an
accomplice to Blatter’s alleged mismanagement.

Criminal proceedings were initiated against
Blatter in 2015. Platini was not under formal investigation until last year.