Sepp Blatter shakes hands with UEFA president Michel Platini after being re-elected.

AFP/Zurich

FIFA leader Sepp Blatter said on Saturday he was "shocked" at the way the US judiciary has targeted football's world body and slammed what he called a "hate" campaign by Europe's football leaders.

In an interview with Swiss television, Blatter said he suspected the arrest of seven FIFA officials on Wednesday under a US anti-corruption warrant was an attempt to "interfere with the congress" at which he was elected on Friday.

Commenting on the fact that it came only two days before his election, he told RTS: "I am not certain, but it doesn't smell good."

He also condemned comments on FIFA made by US judiciary leaders including Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

"Of course I am shocked. I would never as FIFA president make comments about another organisation without being certain of what has happened."

Lynch said corruption in football was "rampant, systemic and deep-rooted, both abroad and here in the US."

Blatter noted that the US had lost the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, and England, another major critic, lost the 2018 World Cup to Russia.

He said the US was the "number one sponsor" of Jordan, where his challenger for the FIFA presidency Prince Ali bin al Hussein comes from.

Blatter also hit out at UEFA president Michel Platini, who had called for his resignation over the corruption scandals.

"It is a hate that comes not just from a person at UEFA, it comes from the UEFA organisation that cannot understand that in 1998 I became president," he added in the interview.

Asked whether he would forgive Platini for the resignation calls, Blatter said "I forgive everyone but I do not forget."

Blatter won the FIFA presidency on Friday when his challenger Prince Ali withdrew after the first round of voting.

The FIFA executive committee is to meet in Zurich on Saturday and Blatter was to speak at a press conference.

US retaliating for 2022 World Cup snub: Ex-FIFA official

Former FIFA vice president Jack Warner rejected corruption charges lodged by the US, alleging at a press conference on Friday that Washington was seeking retaliation for not getting the 2022 World Cup.

A total of 14 people - nine current or former FIFA officials and five business executives - were indicted by the US on Wednesday, following a corruption probe.

Warner, arrested in Trinidad and Tobago, said the Americans were simply "trying to put the hurt on FIFA since they did not get World Cup 2022."

"So," he added, "it's personal."

The 72-year-old Trinidadian turned himself in to authorities in Port of Spain on Wednesday and was freed after posting bail of nearly $400,000.

"When they sent me to prison, they thought they would have broken me. On the other hand, they have made me stronger," Warner said during a press conference in the capital city.

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