AFP I FIFA president Sep Blatter reveals Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup after the vote in Zurich on December 2, 2010

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy pressured the country’s football federation to vote in favour of awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said in an interview with a German newspaper Sunday.

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Blatter told Welt am Sonntag that then German president Christian Wulff also tried to influence the December 2010 vote, in which FIFA members selected the hosts for both the 2022 tournament and the 2018 World Cup, which was awarded to Russia.

"Messrs Sarkozy and Wulff tried to influence their voting representatives. That's why we now have a World Cup in Qatar. Those who decided it should take responsibility for it," said Blatter, who added he was tired of taking the blame for something he had no control over.

"I act on the leadership principal. If a majority of the executive committee wants a World Cup in Qatar then I have to accept that," Blatter said.

He suggested that the German football federation (DFB) received a recommendation from Wulff "to vote for Qatar out of economic interests".

Former DFB president Theo Zwanziger wrote in his book that Wulff had asked about Qatar's chances but he denied it had had any influence. Franz Beckenbauer, an executive committee member at the time, has never indicated which country he voted for.

Blatter accepted no responsibly for the plight of migrant labourers building stadiums in Qatar amid reports of human rights abuses.

"Look at the German companies!" he said before naming railway and construction firms. "Deutsche Bahn, Hochtief and many more had projects in Qatar even before the World Cup was awarded."

Blatter was instead concentrating on saving FIFA, which has been rocked by a widening American corruption probe that alleges bribery and racketeering worth more than $150 million (€ 135 million) involving high-ranking FIFA officials over a 24-year span.

"I'm there now to fight. Not for myself but for FIFA," said Blatter, who added he was on the right path and had no doubts. "Self-doubt is a leader's greatest enemy."

Blatter: ‘I have no fear’

Blatter announced his intention to leave office on June 2, four days after he was re-elected for a fifth four-year term, as pressure built from the American case and a separate Swiss federal investigation focused on possible money laundering linked to the awarding of the World Cups to Russia and Qatar.

But he remains defiant despite the scandal engulfing world soccer's governing body.

"Is FIFA responsible from the top down for everything in football, what happens in some village somewhere around the world?" asked Blatter, also a target of the American investigation.

"Everyone has fears, for example of death, but with regard to my work at FIFA I have no fear. I've nothing to be afraid of," said Blatter.

"I'm afraid that they want to wreck FIFA, a work that I helped create," the 79-year-old said.

Blatter said he accepts criticism but "what hurts are hateful tirades. They come from envy".

Blatter cannot be extradited from his native Switzerland to the US without his consent but he risks arrest in many countries. He was not travelling to Canada for the Women's World Cup final in Vancouver on Sunday.

"Until everything is clarified I won't take any travel risks," Blatter said.

However, he will be travelling to Russia for the qualification draw on July 25 for the 2018 World Cup.

Blatter has found support from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has accused American authorities of meddling in soccer affairs.

(FRANCE 24 with AP)

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