Fifa ethics committee reminds me of Spanish Inquisition – Blatter

Sepp Blatter has likened the Fifa ethics committee process that could lead to him being banned from football for years to the Spanish Inquisition in a letter that itself appears to breach the terms of his suspension.

The Fifa president had resolved to carry on his tradition of writing an end of year letter to all 209 members of the governing body despite being provisionally suspended for 90 days over a £1.35 million (€1.86 million) "disloyal payment" to Michel Platini, the suspended Uefa president.

Although it is not on Fifa-headed paper, it is understood that in writing to all 209 FAs around the world Blatter has breached the terms of his provisional ban from all football-related activities.

His spokesman, Klaus Stöhlker, said Blatter was unconcerned about whether he had technically breached the terms of his ban. “He is more concerned about the fairness of the hearings and the outcome,” he said. In the letter Blatter is understood to have written: “Although I have been suspended I am not isolated and will certainly not be silenced.”

As he prepares to face the ethics committee on Thursday, with the investigatory arm having requested a life ban but a suspension of six to seven years seen as more likely, Blatter is understood to have written that he was “bewildered by the insinuations and allegations brought against me by the investigatory chamber of the ethics committee”.

Gentleman’s agreement

The Swiss, who this year resolved to stand down as Fifa president following the US indictment of what prosecutors described as a “

World Cup

of fraud”, insisted the process by which Platini received the payment nine years after it was originally due as part of a gentleman’s agreement between the pair was above board.

“However, the way in which the investigatory chamber of the ethics committee has communicated on the current proceedings, demanded the maximum penalty and reinforced public prejudgment has reached a tendentious and dangerous dimension,” he added. “These proceedings remind me of the inquisition.”

Blatter also said in the letter that he has maintained the values passed down to him by his parents: “Never accept any money which you have not earned, always pay off your debts.

“I will continue to fight for my rights – and at the end of this week, I will present my case before the adjudicatory chamber with great conviction and a strong belief in justice”. Guardian Service