Blatter calls for Infantino to be committed to a psychiatric clinic: "He is a dictator"

In his fiercest attack in years, the former president of the International Federation of Football Association, Sepp Blatter, launched a broadside against his successor Gianni Infantino, branding him a "dictator" and calling for him to be placed in a psychiatric hospital, in remarks that shook the corridors of world football and brought the old presidential battle back to the fore once again.

The 90-year-old's broadside came in a lengthy interview with the German magazine "Der Spiegel", published this Wednesday. Blatter spared nothing in his assessment of Infantino's running of FIFA, from the peace prize handed to US President Donald Trump, to the plans to sell off the World Cup's commercial rights, right through to how he governs the organisation from within.

Speaking in sharp terms during the interview, carried by the French network "France 24", Blatter said: "FIFA is suffering, it is currently being led by a person who has allowed himself to become blind".

The "shameful" peace prize

Blatter took aim at Infantino's decision to create a FIFA peace prize and award it to Trump shortly before the start of the World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

He branded the prize "shameful" and asked: "Why would he do something like that? Infantino gives a peace prize to a person who declares war on Iran a short time later? This is madness".

Decisions like that, he added, damage FIFA's image and drag the organisation into political conflicts, far from its sporting role.

"A dictator above the law"

The attack did not stop there. Blatter labelled Infantino a "dictator", insisting he runs FIFA with an iron fist.

He said: "He is a dictator, officials at FIFA tell me that he does not allow anyone to ride the lift with him. He is above the law".

According to Blatter, it is easy for Infantino to drum up support for his re-election from the national football associations, because he speaks to them in the language of money. He tells them: "If you vote for me, you will get far more money than you would have got before".

Plans to sell the World Cup

Blatter also rounded on Infantino's plans to sell off part of the tournament's commercial rights after the World Cup, plans that were scrapped following an angry backlash.

He said: "Infantino no longer knows any limits. He understands nothing of this".

His most striking line came next: "I think that perhaps Infantino should be committed to a psychiatric clinic one day".

The red card crisis

FIFA's decision to suspend the red card shown to United States striker Folarin Balogun also drew Blatter's ire, coming as it did after Trump intervened before a decisive World Cup match this summer.

He said: "The red card, this is the worst thing that can be done, the laws can be interpreted, but the rules of the game must be applied to everyone, and they cannot be interpreted".

FIFA's response to Blatter

When Agence France-Presse, according to "France 24", approached FIFA for comment, the organisation pointed to its earlier response to Der Spiegel, in which it rejected Blatter's claims.

FIFA denied that Infantino had behaved improperly, saying he "carries out his duties as president through his travels". It added: "The suspension imposed on Folarin Balogun after he received the red card was lifted by independent judicial bodies belonging to FIFA".

Then came the sting. In its statement, FIFA said sarcastically: "Mr Infantino does indeed use the lift at FIFA, but he does so in the presence of other people".

Who will succeed Infantino?

Blatter resigned from the FIFA presidency in 2015 amid corruption accusations and was acquitted in two trials, though FIFA's ethics committee banned him from any football activity. Even so, he insisted he "does not regret" his time in charge.

Japanese official Kozo Tashima has announced his intention to run against Infantino, but Blatter nominated the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, Sebastian Coe, to take over at the top of FIFA.

The former FIFA president said: "It does not matter who runs, what matters is that the current president is not elected. Coe was also chairman of FIFA's ethics committee, he is a strong figure, it would be good for the president to be from England, the home of football".

Blatter has not spoken to Infantino since early 2016, a sign of just how deep the rift runs between the two men. It shows no sign of healing any time soon.