Blatter says he has "absolutely no joy" in seeing·either man brought before FIFA's Ethics Committee on Sunday (May 29).

"Ever since FIFA announced that its Ethics Committee will conduct a hearing this coming Sunday into allegations of bribery supposedly committed by my opponent in the race for FIFA's Presidency, some remarkable, some very concerning, some serious but also some truly asinine comments were made," writes Blatter.

"To now assume that the present ordeal of my opponent were to fill me with some sort of perverse satisfaction or that this entire matter was somehow masterminded by me is ludicrous and completely reprehensible.

"To make a point very clear, let me say this: I take no joy in having to observe yet another Ethics Committee hearing and investigation.

"And I take absolutely no joy in seeing my friends and colleagues of many years dragged before the Ethics Committee which was convened after the United States ExCo Member Chuck Blazer filed a complaint against my contestant and his own Confederation President.

"I take no joy to see men who stood by my side for some two decades, suffer through public humiliation without having been convicted of any wrongdoing."

Blatter nevertheless praises the "civic courage and an initiative" of Chuck Blazer, Warner's number two at CONCACAF, for bringing the allegations to FIFA's attention.

Declaring he was "horrified" by recent events, Blatter says he does not know how the upcoming FIFA Congress will be affected.

"What I do know, is that – unlike some malicious others who have neither put up nor shut up - whatever the outcome of this most recent investigation by the FIFA Ethics Committee will be, it must encourage FIFA's leadership and world football to re-invigorate its determination to do the right thing and to govern itself without any tolerance for wrongdoing in the years to come."

To read the full column click here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
May 2011: FIFA opens investigation into Bin Hammam and Warner following fresh bribery allegations
May 2011: Mihir Bose - FIFA crisis still far from being defining moment as Salt Lake scandal proved for IOC
May 2011: Blatter predicting victory in FIFA election by two-thirds majority
May 2011: FIFA need to reform because mud sticks, warns John Coates
May 2011: Bribery allegations "pure invention" claims IOC member