Defiant Blatter insists he is innocent of corruption in letter to FIFA members ahead of key hearing

Sepp Blatter has remained defiant in a letter to all FIFA members ©Getty Images

Sepp Blatter has defiantly expressed his innocence in a letter to all 209 FIFA Associations as he prepares for a crunch showdown with the governing body's judge Hans-Joachim Eckert.

The 79-year-old Swiss, who is standing down as FIFA President, is currently serving a 90-day suspension following an investigation into a payment he made to UEFA chief Michel Platini, who is also gearing up for a D-Day in front of Eckert.

He is further accused of signing an "unfavourable" contract with the Caribbean Football Union and Eckert, head of the adjudicatory chamber of FIFA's Ethics Committee, is set to deliver his verdict against Blatter at a hearing on Thursday (December 17).

Reports have suggested that both Blatter and Platini, who is also suspended, are facing lengthy bans from football but the pair both deny wrongdoing.

In his letter, Blatter has described the proceedings against him as "like an inquisition".

According to Sky Sports, he also states that "nothing and nobody can stop me" when it comes to clearing his name, while he plans to look Eckert in the eyes and ask "why are you trying to destroy me?"

Hans-Joachim Eckert will deliver his verdict against Blatter on Thursday ©Getty Images

"He has worked very hard on this letter, he is looking at this week feeling very strong in spirit,” said Blatter’s personal adviser Klaus Stoehlker.

Both Blatter and Platini were suspended in October, when it emerged that the Frenchman had received a CHF 2 million (£1.3 million/$2.1 million/€1.8 million) payment.

This was allegedly for work Platini had carried out for FIFA between 1999 and 2002, but he was not paid until 2011 and the nine-year gap has led to questioning.

The Investigatory Chamber of the Ethics Committee has already requested sanctions against the pair, with the case now in the hands of Eckert's Adjudicatory Chamber.

Both men appealed to FIFA to have their suspensions overturned and were unsuccessful, while Platini also failed in a bid to get his ban thrown out at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Platini, who still harbours slim hopes of replacing Blatter as FIFA President when an election is held in Zurich on February 26, faces his hearing on Friday (December 18).

It has been suggested that the former Juventus star may stage a boycott, however, after a row erupted following quotes attributed to Ethics Committee spokesman Andreas Bantel.

He was reported as saying that both men faced bans of "several years" - prompting Platini's legal team to describe the FIFA investigation as a "masquerade".

"It is a political tribunal that condemns even before being judged and executes in public," said lawyer Thibaud d'Ales.