Sepp Blatter: Suspended Fifa president was 'close to dying'

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Sepp Blatter became the eighth president of world football's governing body Fifa in 1998

Suspended Fifa president Sepp Blatter has said he feared he was dying during a recent health scare.

Blatter, 79, who is serving a 90-day suspension from football, spent six days in hospital earlier this month with a stress-related illness.

"I was between the angels who were singing and the devil who was lighting the fire, but it was the angels who sang," said Blatter.

"I was close to dying. At some stage the body says 'no, enough is enough'."

Blatter, who has been in charge of football's world governing body for nearly 18 years, was provisionally suspended after being accused of signing a contract "unfavourable" to Fifa and making a "disloyal payment" to Uefa president Michel Platini.

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Blatter and Michel Platini are both currently serving 90-day suspensions from football

Fifa's ethics committee is investigating after Platini received a 拢1.35m payment, which was made nine years after the 60-year-old carried out consultation work for Blatter.

Both Blatter and Platini have denied any wrongdoing and in an interview with Swiss broadcaster RTS, which will be broadcast on Wednesday, Blatter called Platini "an honest man".

"There is an agreement, even in the Fifa regulations that a contract can be made either in writing or orally. It is an oral contract, a contract of work," added the Swiss.

Despite also serving a 90-day Fifa suspension, Platini is still in the running to succeed Blatter as Fifa president when the election is held in February.

On the question of whether or not the Uefa president would make a good Fifa president, Blatter said: "Yes. If he comes back, he will be elected."