Sepp Blatter brands Gianni Infantino a ‘dictator’ over FIFA leadership

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has attacked his successor Gianni Infantino, describing him as a “dictator” and suggesting he may need psychiatric treatment.

Blatter, 90, made the comments in an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel published on Wednesday, in which he also condemned the FIFA Peace Prize awarded to US President Donald Trump before this year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

He said FIFA was “suffering” under Infantino’s leadership and accused the current president of being “blinded”.

Blatter described the Peace Prize as “embarrassing”, questioning the decision to give the award to Trump.

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

He also criticised Infantino’s proposal to sell part of the World Cup’s commercial rights in future. The plan was abandoned after provoking a strong backlash.

“Infantino no longer knows any borders,” Blatter said. “He doesn’t understand any of this. I mean, maybe Infantino should be sent to a psychiatric ward one day.”

Blatter claimed Infantino had been able to secure support for his re-election by promising national football associations greater financial payments.

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

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

Blatter also objected to FIFA’s decision to suspend the red card shown to United States striker Folarin Balogun after intervention from Trump before a crucial match at this summer’s World Cup.

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

FIFA referred Der Spiegel to its previous response to Blatter’s claims. The organisation said Infantino was “fulfilling his duties as president through his travels” and insisted that the suspension given to Balogun “was lifted by independent FIFA judicial bodies”.

“Infantino does indeed use the elevator at FIFA, but does so when other people are present,” it added.

Blatter led FIFA from 1998 until resigning in disgrace in 2015 amid corruption allegations, including claims that he had attempted to buy votes for his presidency. Charges were brought against him, but he was cleared in two trials and later banned from football by FIFA’s ethics committee.

He told Der Spiegel that he had “no regrets” about his time in charge.

Japanese official Kozo Tashima has announced plans to challenge Infantino in the next election, but Blatter backed World Athletics president Sebastian Coe as his preferred successor.

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

“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 said he had not spoken to Infantino since early 2016.