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Blatter criticizes Infantino and calls FIFA a 'dictatorship'
Former FIFA president Joseph Blatter has criticized current federation boss Gianni Infantino, calling him autocratic and submissive.
"What is FIFA today? It consists only of its president, Infantino. FIFA is a dictatorship! The FIFA Council, with almost 40 members, has no say," Blatter told the Sport Bild weekly in an interview published on Wednesday.
"He rules like a Sun King (reference to Louis XIV of France). I've heard from FIFA that he doesn't want to be greeted when he shows up at the FIFA headquarters," he said.
Infantino is "totally isolating himself, but football will survive Infantino," Blatter added.
In recent times, Blatter has constantly criticized his successor.
In the interview to Bild, he lashed out at Infantino for how he has been serving as an "accomplice" of United States President Donald Trump ahead of this year's World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.
"Of course Trump will put on a show, he's already doing that! To do so, he needs his new friend, FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Although the term 'accomplice' is more appropriate than 'friend,'" Blatter said.
He perceives Infantino as submissive to Trump.
"The Peace Prize for Trump is an incomprehensible matter. Infantino is currying favor with Trump because he needs him."
Blatter's long reign at FIFA ended in 2015 when he first announced his resignation amid a corruption affair and was then banned from football activities.
But he still wants to receive an "honourable farewell" at the FIFA Congress.
"I never resigned or was voted out of office, but rather made my office available in 2015. An honourable farewell would mark the definitive end of the Blatter era at FIFA," he said.
