Blatter responds to allegations

Blatter is the subject of serious corruption allegations

Fifa president Sepp Blatter produced a 30-page report on Saturday which rejected accusations of corruption made against him buy other Fifa officials.

Blatter, who is up for re-election on 28 May, said the allegations by Fifa general secretary Michel Zen-Ruiffen were "false and groundless".

Five Fifa vice-presidents and six other members of the executive committee filed a formal complaint in the Swiss courts against Blatter last week.

The allegations will come back to haunt my accusers, above all the general secretary

Sepp Blatter

A statement released by the vice-presidents also accused Blatter of illegal attempts to influence the May election in which he is standing against Cameroon's Issa Hayatou.

The legal action follows an explosive report by Zen-Ruffinen, in which he claimed as much as $360m (£246.5m) had been lost during Blatter's presidency.

But Blatter's 30-page document said he was innocent of all claims and was the vicitm of an orchestrated effort to force him out of his position.

"This smear campaign is a bizarre, incomprehensible and unique occurrence that is doing great damage to football," Blatter said.

"The extent and unsubstantiated content of these allegations must be set right. Both in my capacity as Fifa President and as a private individual I am compelled to formally reject these attacks."

Blatter was especially critical of Zen-Ruffinen's report which accused him of systematically mismanaging Fifa by deception, illegal payments and violating its statutes.

"This document will leave you in no doubt that my arguments prove that I am blameless and that the allegations made against me are both false and groundless.

"They will come back to haunt my accusers, above all the general secretary."

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