Sepp Blatter says Gianni Infantino has ‘lost all sense of proportion’ in extraordinary FIFA attack

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has launched an extraordinary attack on his successor Gianni Infantino, calling him a “dictator” and suggesting he may need to be admitted to a psychiatric clinic.

Blatter, 90, made the comments in an extended interview with German magazine Der Spiegel published on Wednesday. He criticised Infantino’s leadership of FIFA, including the organisation’s peace award to United States president Donald Trump, plans to sell future World Cup commercial rights and the way the governing body is run.

“FIFA is suffering. It is currently led by someone who has allowed himself to become blinded,” Blatter said in comments reported by French broadcaster France 24.

‘Shameful’ peace award

Blatter strongly condemned Infantino’s decision to establish a FIFA peace award and present it to Trump shortly before the World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

He described the award as “shameful” and questioned the reasoning behind it.

“Why does he do something like that? Infantino gives a peace award to someone who declares war on Iran shortly afterwards? This is madness,” Blatter said.

He added that decisions of this kind harmed FIFA’s image and drew the organisation into political disputes rather than allowing it to focus on its sporting responsibilities.

Blatter also accused Infantino of running FIFA with an iron fist.

“He is a dictator,” Blatter said. “FIFA officials tell me he does not allow anyone to ride in the lift with him. He is above the law.”

The former president claimed Infantino could easily secure support from national football associations in elections by promising them increased financial backing.

“He tells them: ‘If you vote for me, you will get far more money than you would have received before,’” Blatter said.

Criticism over World Cup plans

Blatter also attacked Infantino’s proposals to sell part of the World Cup’s commercial rights after the tournament. Those plans were later abandoned following an angry reaction.

“Infantino no longer knows any limits. He understands nothing about this,” Blatter said.

He then made his most striking comment of the interview, adding: “I think perhaps one day Infantino should be admitted to a psychiatric clinic.”

Blatter also criticised FIFA’s decision to suspend the red card shown to United States forward Folarin Balogun after Trump intervened before a crucial World Cup match this summer.

“The red card is the worst thing that could be done,” he said. “The laws can be interpreted, but the rules of the game must apply to everyone and cannot be interpreted.”

FIFA rejects allegations

When contacted by Agence France-Presse, FIFA referred to its earlier response to Der Spiegel, in which it rejected Blatter’s claims.

The organisation denied that Infantino had behaved improperly, saying he was “carrying out his duties as president through his travelling”.

FIFA also said the suspension imposed on Balogun after his red card had been lifted by the organisation’s independent judicial bodies.

“Mr Infantino does indeed use the lift at FIFA, but he does so with other people present,” the governing body said sarcastically.

Blatter resigned as FIFA president in 2015 amid corruption allegations and was later acquitted in two trials. FIFA’s Ethics Committee nevertheless barred him from football-related activity.

He said he had “no regrets” about his time in office and revealed that he had not spoken to Infantino since early 2016.

Japanese official Kozo Tashima has announced plans to stand against Infantino in his bid for re-election. Blatter, however, backed World Athletics president Sebastian Coe as a potential successor.

“The important thing is not who runs, but that the current president is not elected,” Blatter said. “Coe was also chairman of the FIFA Ethics Committee. He is a strong personality, and it would be good to have the president come from England, the birthplace of football.”