Blatter writes to FIFA's 209 member associations, proclaims innocence
Sepp Blatter, the disgraced and outgoing FIFA president who is reportedly set to receive a lengthy suspension of at least seven years from all football activities, isn't going down without a fight.
On Tuesday, Klaus Stohlker, Blatter's personal adviser, revealed that his client wrote to all of FIFA's 209 member associations to proclaim his innocence ahead of his hearing before Hans-Joachim Eckert, FIFA's ethics judge.
Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini, both serving 90-day suspensions, will have hearings before Eckert on Thursday and Friday in Zurich, Switzerland. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland opened criminal proceedings against Blatter in September, suspecting him of making a "disloyal payment" valued at CHF 2 Mio. (£1.35 million, €2 million) to Platini at FIFA's expense in February 2011.
"He has worked very hard on this letter, he is looking at this week feeling very strong in spirit," Stohlker said, according to the Guardian.
Ben Rumsby of The Telegraph published a photo of Blatter's letter on Twitter, which reads, in part: "I can assure you that: it was legal because it was based on a verbal agreement. And agreements must be adhered to. This payment was put through the full administrative process, the correctness of which was confirmed by all competent FIFA bodies - including the Congress."
Back in October, Blatter insisted the payment was based on a "gentleman's agreement" as there is reportedly no written contract for the transaction.