FIFA launches legal action against Blatter, Platini

Lausanne, Switzerland - World football governing body, FIFA, has launched legal action against former president Sep Blatter and former vice-president Michel Platini in order to recover more than US$2mn.

In a statement on Monday, FIFA confirmed it had filed claims in the relevant Swiss courts against the two officials ‘seeking restitution of the CHF two million unduly paid to

Mr Platini back in February 2011".

The amount was transferred to Platini, 64, on 18 January 2011 after Blatter, 83, approved the ‘disloyal payment’.

Earlier this month, a FIFA governance committee unanimously ruled the illicit funds should be repaid.

The payment led to Blatter and Platini being banned from football for eight years, reduced on appeal to six and four years, respectively.

Blatter, who led FIFA for 17 years before he resigned days after being re-elected in May 2015, and Platini - touted as the successor to the Swiss before he was banned - both claim the payment was made under an oral agreement for work the Frenchman carried out for Blatter between 1998 and 2002.

In addition, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court confirmed the ‘gift’ from world football's governing body was an ‘undue payment’.

In its decision in Platini's case, the three CAS judges said they were ‘not convinced by the legitimacy’ of the payment.

Former France international Platini, who served as UEFA President from 2007 to 2015, is able to work again in the sport after his ban expired in October.