Friday 16 October 2015 15:55, UK
Sepp Blatter has described the Michel Platini payment at the centre of the FIFA criminal investigation as a 'gentleman's agreement'.
Blatter, outgoing FIFA president, and UEFA president Platini have insisted a payment of £1.3m made from the FIFA boss to his opposite number in 2011 was for legitimate work conducted for the world governing body from 1998 to 2002.
The pair are serving 90-day suspensions imposed by FIFA's ethics committee which is investigating the corruption allegations. Both deny any wrongdoing and are appealing the decision.
Blatter revealed his thoughts to local Swiss TV broadcast on Friday and said: "It was a contract I had with Michel Platini, a gentleman's agreement and that was followed through on."
It is a payment that has divided opinion and UEFA's 54 members met on Thursday at an emergency meeting in Switzerland to discuss the fall-out and whether they should continue to support their president.
UEFA stated on Thursday evening that Platini had been given an extra 30 days to clear his name and that the Frenchman would continue to push his FIFA presidential candidacy for February's elections.
A UEFA statement said: "We support Michel Platini's right to a due process and a fair trial and to the opportunity to clear his name."
No written contract for the payment in question, received by Platini for work undertaken for Blatter, was provided to FIFA's ethics committee.
The deadline for nominations for the FIFA presidency is October 26 with elections due to be in February, although there have been reports that a postponement would be discussed at FIFA's emergency meeting on October 20.
Blatter, who has called the investigation "outrageous", also stated on Friday that he felt FIFA's ethics committee had not handled the investigation into himself and Platini carefully enough.
