Blatter - Qatar inquiry unlikely

Sepp Blatter has played down the likelihood of FIFA launching an inquiry into Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid but insists he will not block the organisation's new watchdog body looking into it.

Qatar 2022 came under the spotlight last week when FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke confirmed he had sent an email suggesting they had "bought" the tournament but later said he had been referring to the financial power of the bid. Blatter said he would not block the FIFA ethics committee or new solutions committee if they wanted to investigate.

But asked if he would look again at Qatar hosting the 2022 World Cup, the FIFA president told CNN: "No. I don't know why we should go in - then we shall go to all, then we shall start with Brazil and all before. I don't know why we should open something because somebody has said something towards Qatar."

He added: "Let me work now on this new approach of the ethics committee, let me work with this committee of solutions and if this committee of solutions or the ethics committee have the impression that they should do something then let them take the decisions."

FIFA have two members, Jack Warner and Mohamed Bin Hammam suspended on bribery charges pending an ethics committee hearing - but Blatter said he would not support a lifetime ban for people who offer bribes despite his new 'zero tolerance' approach.

He added: "No - to say if there is an offence against an ethics code, it is a life ban - everyone has the right to defend themselves.

"Zero tolerance is not a killing instinct that we have to kill people. Zero tolerance means that if you commit something outside the play of field, you will have a punishment. But it can be a yellow card, it can be a red card, it can be a suspension for two games, three game [or] a lifetime."

Blatter also confirmed that former Holland international manager Johan Cruyff, former USA secretary of state Henry Kissinger, and Spanish singer Placido Domingo will be advisors on FIFA's new solutions committee.