No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsBusinessPlatini deal was 'gentleman's agreement' - FIFA's Blatter

Platini deal was ‘gentleman’s agreement’ – FIFA’s Blatter

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter claimed on Friday that the $2 million payment he made to UEFA president Michel Platini was a “gentleman’s agreement.”

“It was a contract I had with Platini, a gentleman’s agreement,” the 79-year-old said in an interview with Swiss media RROTV.

“It was implemented. I can’t give any more details, the issue is being discussed in two investigations.”

Asked directly if the contract had been made within the rules, Blatter added: “Yes, certainly, it was within the rules.”

Blatter and Platini, 60, have both been suspended for 90 days by FIFA’s ethics committee as Swiss authorities conduct a criminal investigation into corruption allegations at the scandal-tainted world football governing body.

Blatter defiantly backed his right to discuss the ongoing controversy and investigation.

“I don’t have the right to go to a football stadium, but I do have the right to talk to whoever I want,” he added.

“I am not sidelined, I am only suspended.”

Recommended: 4 reasons why FIFA’s Sepp Blatter must step down immediately

Blatter, who has been in charge of FIFA since 1998, still intends to be present when the FIFA congress meets on February 26 to elect a new president.

“My goal is to preside over the congress, that is my objective. I don’t believe it will be postponed.”

Blatter also blasted the international media for “pre-judging” him, saying his suspension had been a “shock.”

He added he was baffled by the decision to bar him from his office.

“I have not stolen, I haven’t killed, I haven’t favored anybody!”

The suspension, he said, had given him “time to think” and that he was “doing fine, even if it is a difficult period.”

See also: Switzerland approves extradition to US of Costa Rican FIFA official Eduardo Li

Trending Now

Honduran Lawmaker Survives Explosive Attack in Congress

A homemade explosive device struck Honduran lawmaker Gladis Aurora López inside the National Congress on January 8, causing injuries that sent her to the...

Costa Rica Presidential Candidates Spar in Tense Debate

Costa Rica’s presidential candidates squared off in the first official debate hosted by the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE) yesterday, marking a key moment...

Costa Rica Highway to Close Temporarily for Wildlife Crossing Installations

Motorists traveling between the capital and the Caribbean coast need to adjust their plans this week. Route 32, the key highway linking San José...

Costa Rica is the Land of Roadside Good Samaritans

After nearly 14 years of living in Ticolandia, I have come to appreciate so many things about the Costa Rican culture, people, and way...

Guanacaste Leads Coastal Recovery in Costa Rica Real Estate

Costa Rica’s real estate market heads into 2026 with steady footing after recent adjustments in high-end coastal areas. Buyers and investors find a landscape...

Argentina’s Tomás Etcheverry Prepares for Australian Open Challenge

In the competitive ranks of men's tennis, few players have shown the steady climb of Tomás Martín Etcheverry. The 26-year-old from La Plata, Argentina,...
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica