FIFA president Sepp Blatter has alleged UEFA counterpart Michel Platini warned him he faced prison if he did not withdraw from the world football governing body's presidential race. Speaking exclusively to Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant, Blatter claimed the warning, in which Platini allegedly said Blatter would go to jail if he did not withdraw from May's FIFA presidential race, was made to the Swiss official's brother.

But a source close to Platini, contacted by AFP, described the claim as "ridiculous". Blatter said he found his 80-year-old brother Peter crying at the FIFA congress in Zurich in May, where the 79-year-old Blatter was re-elected for a fifth FIFA term, before later vowing to step down and hold new elections.