BELLINZONA: The trial of former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and French footballing legend Michel Platini over alleged corrupt payments ground to a halt on Wednesday when Blatter said he was too ill to testify.

Swiss prosecutors accuse the pair, once among football’s most powerful figures, of unlawfully arranging a payment of two million Swiss francs ($2.08 million) in 2011. Blatter and Platini both deny the charges.

But Blatter, looking frail during the hearing at the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, said he was unable to address the court due to chest pains.

“The pain will come back and I am having difficulty breathing,” the 85-year-old told the court in a whisper. The judges allowed him to make his testimony on Thursday.

Earlier, lawyers for Blatter and Platini failed to shift the trial to a local court or dismiss FIFA’s civil claim against Blatter and Platter to reclaim the two million francs.

“This case is being heard in the wrong stadium,” Platinis lawyer Dominic Nellen told the court, saying federal prosecutions should be reserved for large, international cases.

The judges dismissed the argument, and also allowed FIFA to remain involved.

“It is obvious that FIFA has been damaged,” said its lawyer Catherine Hohl-Chirazi. “Two million francs was stolen.” Three judges will hear the trial, which runs until June 22. A verdict is due on July 8. If convicted, Platini and Blatter face up to five years in jail.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2022