Sepp Blatter Responds to Critics in German Magazine Interview

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has insisted that he is not corrupt and said that anyone who accuses him as such "should go to jail."

Blatter is set to step down as president after 17 years in the job following his June 2 announcement, in which he called for "an extraordinary congress for the election of my successor at the earliest opportunity", per FIFA.

His announcement to step down came amid widespread allegations of corruption within FIFA and the charging of 14 officials of the organisation following an FBI investigation, per BBC News.

Many believe that Blatter himself has also been involved in widespread corruption during his tenure as president, but the 79-year-old Swiss has hit back at such allegations in an interview with German magazine Bunte (h/t the Guardian):

"

I have a clean conscience. If somebody accuses me of being corrupt, I ask him whether he knows the meaning of that word. Whoever calls me corrupt will have to prove it, but nobody can prove that because I am not corrupt. 

I am open to correct or positive criticism. I can use that to reconsider if I need to change in the future. But if anybody calls me corrupt because FIFA is corrupt, I can only shake my head. Everybody who says something like that should go to jail. 

My faith has given me strength during the last week. I am a religious person and pray, too. I own a golden cross that has been blessed by Pope Francis. I believe I will go to heaven one day. But I believe there is no hell. I disagree with the pope on that.

"

Blatter's latest comments are unlikely to hold any sway with those who believe him to be responsible for years of corruption at FIFA.

The recent announcement that he would not travel to the upcoming Women's World Cup final in Canada for "personal reasons," per BBC Sport, was met with widespread suspicion, per the Guardian's Owen Gibson:

SportingIntelligence suggested a potential alternative reason:

Per the Guardian's report, the election for Blatter's successor is set to take place between December and March, and for many it cannot come soon enough, despite his pleas of innocence.