Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has made a stunning claim that the UEFA draws for major competitions, including the Champions League, Europa League and even the European Championships, have been rigged over the years. Blatter currently is suspended from any football-related event for at least six years by the FIFA Ethics Committee.
The disgraced football administrator, who was replaced by Gianni Infantino as the FIFA president in February this year, also revealed that he was present during those 'rigged' draws but didn't raise a voice against it.
Blatter stated that during the draws, there used to be two sets of balls -- cold and hot -- segregated intentionally to easily identify the teams.
"I never touched the balls," said Blatter in an interview to Argentine newspaper La Nacion. "Of course, you can mark them [by] heating them or cooling them. I witnessed draws at the European level where that happened. But never at FIFA. Of course it can be done."
The 80-year-old refused to divulge details, however, as to which UEFA events were specifically rigged, as per his disclosure.
"You put the balls in the refrigerator beforehand," he continued. "Just by comparing one and the other when you touch them you can tell the cold balls from the hot. When you touch them, you know what they are."
The European football governing body, the UEFA, are yet to give a comment on the development.
