Even the once most powerful man in world soccer has to pay tribute to age: The health problems of former FIFA president Joseph S. Blatter have marked the start of the trial against him and former UEFA boss Michel Platini. The 86-year-old Blatter, who was in an artificial coma for more than a week after a heart operation with complications before Christmas, could not be questioned as planned.

“I am not well. I don’t see myself in a position to answer,” Blatter said before his questioning at the Swiss Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona. Blatter’s lawyer, Lorenz Erni, indicated that his client was suffering from chest pains and breathing problems. Blatter’s questioning, like Platini’s, is now scheduled to take place on Thursday. This means that the trial will be delayed right from the start, although the daily duration of the hearing had been limited to four hours in view of Blatter’s state of health.

Previously, the start of the trial against the former top soccer officials was characterized by rhetorical exchanges of blows between the different camps. The focus was on the strategy of Platini’s lawyers, who, as before the start of the trial, painted the picture of a plot against the 66-year-old.

Is Platini drafting a “conspiracy theory”?

According to Platini’s lawyer Dominic Nellen, there is “a direct link” between the suspicion of fraud against his client and the secret meetings between current FIFA president Gianni Infantino and former Swiss federal prosecutor Michael Lauber. Therefore, the question is who had an interest in these proceedings.

Prosecutor Thomas Hildbrand and FIFA lawyer Catherine Hohl-Chirazi rejected these speculations. Hohl-Chirazi accused the Platini side of putting forward a “conspiracy theory.” The world governing body is acting as a joint plaintiff – and may continue to do so, since a motion by the Platini side to have the world governing body disqualified was rejected by the court.

Blatter and Platini are charged with fraud and forgery by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG). Blatter, a Swiss national, is also charged with embezzlement and unfaithful management, while Platini, a Frenchman, is charged with aiding and abetting. The Swiss Attorney General’s Office (BA) had been investigating the case since 2015, and the lawsuit was filed in November last year. The trial is scheduled to run until June 22, with eleven days of hearings. The verdict is expected on July 8. The possible penalties range from a fine to five years in prison.

Infantino is the beneficiary

Specifically, the case involves two million Swiss francs (1.92 million euros) plus 229,126 francs (220,000 euros) in social security contributions. These sums were paid in 2011 by world governing body FIFA to Platini, then president of the European Football Union (UEFA). According to the OAG, before the money flowed, Platini submitted a “fictitious invoice” to FIFA for consulting work from 1998 to 2002. This was done “without legal basis” with Blatter’s “involvement,” it said: “This payment damaged FIFA’s assets and unlawfully enriched Platini.”

Both defendants deny the allegations, citing a verbal agreement they made with each other. FIFA, on the other hand, wants the two million Swiss francs back. The investigation into the case led to both Blatter and Platini being banned by FIFA’s ethics committee in 2015 for eight years each. Although the bans were later reduced, Platini’s plans were thwarted.

The former world-class player was seen as Blatter’s designated successor and wanted to rise to become FIFA boss. His ban meant that Infantino, then a marginal figure, was able to rise from UEFA general secretary to FIFA president within a short space of time.