Sepp Blatter, the former FIFA president has told Argentine news publication, La Nacion that he witnessed the fixing of draws for UEFA competitions.
Though the 80-year old Swiss denied giving Argentina an easy draw at the 2014 World Cup where they were matched against Nigeria, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Brazil but claims he has witnessed fixes at UEFA level through the use of “cold and hot balls”.
There are wide speculations out there that the two –time world champions, Argentina were handed a favourable group but Blatter says: “The [2014 World Cup] draw was clean until the last detail.”
Blatter claims he rather witnessed premeditated draws by Europe’s governing body, with refrigerated balls used to rig the outcome and not the World cup which was under his direct jurisdiction.
“I never touched the balls, which was something that others had to do. Of course, it can be signaled, by heating or cooling them.
“It’s technically possible. It did not happen in FIFA, but I witnessed draws at a European level in which it happened – but never in FIFA.
“It could have happened, but in my case it never did, ever.
“If you put the balls in the refrigerator before, a simple comparison between one and the other by touching them determines the cold and hot balls. By touching them you already know what it is.”
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