Ex-FIFA Chief Blatter: Infantino No Longer Knows Any Borders

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter

At 90, Sepp Blatter shows no sign of softening blasting Gianni Infantino over the Trump Peace Prize, the World Cup sale plan and the Balogun red-card reversal, while backing Sebastian Coe to take over FIFA.

Blatter backs Coe to replace 'dictator' Infantino at FIFA...

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has turned on his successor Gianni Infantino, labelling him a “dictator” and suggesting he requires psychiatric help, in a wide-ranging interview with Der Spiegel published Wednesday.

The 90-year-old took particular exception to Infantino's decision to invent a FIFA Peace Prize for US President Donald Trump just months before this year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

He also took aim at Infantino's plan to sell off part of the World Cup's future commercial rights after this year's tournament, a proposal that was dropped following a fierce backlash.

“FIFA is suffering. It is currently led by a person who has allowed himself to be blinded,” Blatter told the German magazine.

He described the Peace Prize as “embarrassing.”

“Why would he do something like that?” Blatter asked. “Infantino awards a peace prize to someone who wages war against Iran shortly afterwards? That's madness.”

Blatter said Infantino had little difficulty securing backing for his own re-election from national football associations.

‘“If you vote for me,” he tells the national associations, “You will get much more money than before.”

“He is a dictator. People in FIFA tell me that no one is allowed to ride in the elevator with him. He is 'untouchable'.”

On Infantino's World Cup sale plans, Blatter said: “Infantino no longer knows any borders. He doesn't understand any of this.

“I mean, maybe Infantino should be sent to a psychiatric ward one day.”

Blatter, who led FIFA from 1998, stepped down in disgrace in 2015 amid corruption allegations, including claims he had tried to buy votes to secure his presidency.

Charges were later brought against him, but Blatter was ultimately cleared in two trials and was banned from football by FIFA's ethics committee.

Blatter insisted he had “no regrets” over his years at the helm of world football's governing body.

The 90-year-old Swiss also condemned FIFA's decision to rescind the red card given to USA striker Folarin Balogun after Donald Trump intervened before a crucial game at this summer's World Cup.

“The red card. That's the worst. Statutes can be interpreted. But rules of the game must apply to everyone, you can't interpret them.”

While Japanese official Kozo Tashima has declared his intention to stand against Infantino in the re-election race, Blatter threw his weight behind World Athletics president Sebastian Coe as the man to take over FIFA.

“It is not important who is running. What is important is that the incumbent president is no longer elected.

“Coe was also chairman of the FIFA Ethics Committee. He is a strong personality. A president from the motherland of football, England, would be good.”

Blatter revealed he has had no contact with Infantino since early 2016.