Ex-FIFA President Sepp Blatter Has Corruption Charge Dropped

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter had a corruption charge related to the sale of World Cup television rights to the Caribbean Football Union dropped Saturday.

John Revill of Reuters reported the Office of the Attorney General in Switzerland confirmed it "intends to discontinue the proceedings" related to Blatter's alleged sale to the CFU for below market value.

"[The OAG] considers the criminal investigation into the partial facts and allegations concerning the contractual relationship with the CFU to be complete and ready for conclusion," a statement read.

Swiss prosecutors said the decision doesn't have an impact on their investigation into a separate case surrounding an alleged $2.06 million payment from Blatter to former UEFA president Michel Platini in February 2011, per Revill.

FIFA also filed a court claim in December seeking to recover the money.

Blatter received an eight-year ban from all football-related activities in December 2015. It was later reduced to six years, but his efforts to get the punishment completely wiped out failed as his appeal was denied by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2016.

"I have experienced much in my 41 years in FIFA. I mostly learned that you can win in sport, but you can also lose," he said following the appeal decision. "Nevertheless I look back with gratitude to all the years, in which I was able to realize my ideals for football and serve FIFA."

Last May, the 84-year-old Switzerland native told Tariq Panja and Tim Rohn of the New York Times he sought further opportunities to prove "I am not a thief" and wanted recognition for the successes he had during his 17-year run as the international sports body's president.

"I'm not going to die about it but I want to die in dignity, and I want them to say I was not a thief in FIFA," Blatter said.

His ban runs through December 2022.