海角大神

The embattled president of FIFA, the governing body for world聽soccer, told a German newspaper the presidents of聽France聽and聽Germany聽tried to exert political pressure before聽the World Cup聽was awarded to聽Russia聽and聽Qatar.

Sepp Blatter聽has become entangled in a corruption investigation of the sport's governing body, which involves the decision to hold聽the World Cup聽in the two countries. Blatter has not been accused of any wrongdoing, but he has retained an attorney.

In a story published on Sunday, the newspaper聽Welt am Sonntag聽quoted Blatter as saying: "Before聽the World Cup聽was awarded to聽Russia聽and聽Qatar, there were two political interventions.

"Mr (Nicolas) Sarkozy and (海角大神) Wulff tried to influence their voting representatives. Therefore, we now have a聽World Cup聽in聽Qatar. The people who decided this should also take responsibility," he added.

No one was immediately available at Sarkozy's office or Wulff's office to comment.聽Welt am Sonntag聽reported, however, that Wulff had denied trying to influence the vote in his book.

In May, Swiss authorities arrested seven FIFA officials as part of an investigation into a global bribery scandal. The U.S. Department of Justice has now asked that聽Switzerland聽extradite the seven to the聽United States.

Also in May, U.S. prosecutors announced they had indicted nine current and former FIFA officials and five sports marketing businessmen in connection with a corruption investigation.

Welt am Sonntag聽quoted Blatter as saying the German football federation, DFB, had "received a recommendation (from Wulff) that聽Germany聽should vote for聽Qatar聽for economic interests."

FIFA said Blatter was correctly quoted.

Europe聽soccer chief聽Michel Platini聽has repeatedly said that nobody had asked him to vote for聽Qatar. "Neither Sarkozy nor anyone," he told the newspaper L'Equipe a year ago. However, the head of UEFA also said that he and Sarkozy had a lunch with Qataris.

"It's true that, when I was invited for a lunch in private with the president and I found myself with Qataris, I understood that there was a subliminal message. But I've never been asked to vote for them," Platini told L'Equipe.

Blatter announced on June 2 he would step down as FIFA's president after an election that is likely to happen this year or early next.

Blatter also told the paper he needed a "recovery phase" and said he was limiting his travel plans because of the investigation.

"I won't take any travel risks until everything has been cleared up," he said.

He did, however, say he would go to聽Moscow聽at the end of July for the draw on the qualification games for聽the 2018 World Cup聽are held. "I will go there," he said.

A U.S.-based layer said last week Blatter would not travel to聽Canada聽for Sunday's final of the women's聽World Cup聽for personal reasons. Reuters was unable to determine why Blatter had decided not to attend the final in聽Vancouver.

Some lawyers with experience in international criminal cases have said Blatter would be ill-advised to travel after the U.S. indictments were announced.

Blatter said he did not mind criticism but "tirades of hate hurt."

"I am now here to fight. Not for myself but for FIFA ... I am afraid that they want to destroy FIFA ... A work that I helped create," he was quoted as saying.聽

Additional reporting by Brian Homewood in Zurich and Gregory Blachier in Paris; Reporting by Madeline Chambers.