“I was between the angels who were singing and the devil who was lighting the fire – but it was the angels who sang”, he told Swiss broadcaster RTS.
Advertisement
“I was very close to death”, he said.
The 79-year-old, who has been banned for 90 days as the ongoing probe into widespread corruption at football’s world governing body, was hospitalised earlier this month suffering from stress.
“It was the angels who sang”, said Blatter without going into details of his condition.
Describing the pressure as “enormous”, Blatter said that he remained psychologically strong which is why he was able to overcome the situation, Sport24 reported.
Blatter did not specify his illness in interview extracts released ahead of a program being broadcast Wednesday. “At a few stage the body says “no, enough is enough”.
Blatter was banned after police opened an investigation into an alleged “disloyal” payment of £1.3m given to UEFA president Michel Platini, who is also serving a suspension, in 2011.
Blatter repeated his legal defense that a verbal agreement for Platini to receive the money was a valid contract in Swiss law.
“The investigatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has submitted its final reports containing requests for sanctions against Joseph Blatter and Michel Platini to the adjudicatory chamber chaired by Hans-Joachim Eckert”, the statement read.
Both deny any wrongdoing, with Platini’s candidacy for next year’s elections on hold while the case is investigated.
Advertisement
He added: “If he comes back, he will be elected”.
