Sepp Blatter’s payment to Michel Platini was a ‘gentleman’s agreement’

Sepp Blatter’s controversial $2 million payment to Michel Platini was part of a “gentleman’s agreement” between the two top FIFA officials, Blatter told Swiss broadcaster RROTV.

“[It] was a contract I had with Platini, a gentleman’s agreement and that went through,” Blatter said in the interview.

The lack of a written contract for the 2011 transaction, which Platini says was an unpaid portion of his salary for working as Blatter’s adviser from 1998 to 2002, has drawn suspicion. Investigation into the payment by the FIFA ethics committee led to both men being suspended for 90 days from their positions as FIFA and UEFA presidents beginning on Oct. 8.

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The transaction is also a subject of the Swiss investigation into Blatter for criminal mismanagement and misappropriation of FIFA money. Blatter is accused of intentionally mismanaging FIFA funds in order to make bribery payments.

Amid the recent controversy surrounding world soccer’s governing body, Blatter had said he would step down as FIFA president effective in February. A special election is scheduled for Feb. 26, and Platini had emerged as a favorite to replace Blatter before his suspension.

On Friday, the English Football Association withdrew its support for Platini as a candidate.

Both Blatter and Platini have appealed their suspensions, which could be extended for up to 45 additional days. If the bans were extended, they would end six days before the election.

- Erin Flynn

GALLERY: Faces of the FIFA scandal

Faces of the FIFA Scandal

Sepp Blatter

FIFA president

Jerome Valcke

FIFA general secretary

Michel Platini

UEFA president; FIFA Vice President; FIFA presidential hopeful

Jack Warner

Ex–CONCACAF president; FIFA Vice President

Jeffrey Webb

Ex–Cayman Islands federation and CONCACAF president; FIFA Vice President

Chuck Blazer

Ex-CONCACAF general secretary; FIFA executive committee

Alfredo Hawit

CONCACAF President; FIFA vice president, executive committee; Former president, Honduras football federation

Juan Angel Napout

CONMEBOL president, FIFA vice president, executive committee; Former president, Paraguay football federation

Jose Luis Meiszner

CONMEBOL general secretary

Marco Polo del Nero

Former FIFA executive committee; President, Brazil football federation

Ricardo Teixeira

Former FIFA executive committee; Former president, Brazil football federation

Eduardo Li

Ex–Costa Rica federation president; FIFA, CONCACAF executive committees

Eugenio Figueredo

Ex–Uruguay federation and CONMEBOL president; FIFA Vice President

Jose Maria Marin

Ex–Brazil federation president; CONMEBOL executive committee

Rafael Salguero

Former FIFA executive committee; Former president, Guatemalan football federation

Manuel Burga

FIFA development committee; Former president, Peru football federation

Ariel Alvarado

Former president, Panama football federation; FIFA disciplinary committee

Eduardo Deluca

Former CONMEBOL, Argentina football federation general secretary

Luís Chiriboga

CONMEBOL executive committee; President, Ecuador football federation

Rafael Callejas

FIFA television and marketing committee; Former president, Honduras; Former president, Honduras football federation

Rafael Esquivel

Ex–Venezuela federation president; CONMEBOL executive committee

Carlos Chavez

CONMEBOL treasurer; Former president, Bolivia football federation

Nicolas Leoz

Ex–CONMEBOL president, FIFA executive committee

Julio Rocha

Ex–Nicaragua federation and Central American Football Union president

Romer Osuna

FIFA audit and compliance committee; Former CONMEBOL treasurer.

Alejandro Burzaco

CEO of Torneos y Competencias

Aaron Davidson

President, Traffic Sports USA

Hugo Jinkis

President, Full Play Group

Mariano Jinkis

Vice President, Full Play Group

Loretta Lynch

U.S. Attorney General

Michael Lauber

Switzerland Attorney General