FIFA president Sepp Blatter has revealed that he was "very close" to death when he was taken to hospital earlier this month due to stress.
The 79-year-old, who is serving a 90-day suspension from all football activity, was discharged from hospital on November 12 after suffering a "small emotional breakdown".
Blatter was banned after police opened an investigation into an alleged "disloyal" payment of £1.3m given to UEFA president Michel Platini, who is also serving a suspension, in 2011.
"I was very close [to death]," Blatter told Swiss TV channel RTS. "I was among the angels singing and the devil with the fire, but it was the angels who sang.
"The pressure was enormous. If you are strong mentally, you can resist, but at some point the body says 'no', and here the body has reacted badly."
FIFA's ethics committee has called for sanctions against Blatter and Platini after both their appeals against the bans were rejected.
Danielle Joynson
