Blatter looks forward to "decision in his favour" following Ethics Committee hearing

Sepp Blatter arrives for his hearing today ©Getty Images

Departing FIFA President Sepp Blatter said he was "looking forward to a decision in his favour" after facing an eight-hour hearing in front of Ethics Committee judge Hans-Joachim Eckert in Zurich today.

The 79-year-old Swiss is being probed after a payment of CHF 2 million (£1.3 million/$2 million/€1.8 million) he made to UEFA President Michel Platini, for work the Frenchman supposedly carried out between 1999 and 2002.

Suspicions were raised as Platini was not paid until 2011, with Blatter also accused of signing an "unfavourable" contract with the Carribbean Football Union.

He has always insisted on his innocence and did so again after today's proceedings through a statement released by his lawyers.

Blatter was suspended for 90-days along with Platini, who is also being investigated over the payment, and both men could be hit with lengthy bans.

"President Blatter looks forward to a decision in his favour, because the evidence requires it," said the statement.

"The evidence demonstrates that President Blatter behaved properly and certainly did not violate FIFA's Code of Ethics.

"This investigation should be closed and the suspension lifted."

Michel Platini has said he won't turn up for his hearing tomorrow ©Getty Images

Blatter, who will be replaced as President when FIFA holds an election on February 26 in Zurich, also stressed his innocence in a letter to all 209 National Federations this week.

The Investigatory Chamber of the Ethics Committee has already requested sanctions against him, as well as Platini, following its deliberations, with the case then passed to Eckert's Adjudicatory Chamber.

Platini was due to have his hearing tomorrow, but the 60-year-old has confirmed that he will not be turning up as he believes a decision has already been made to rule against him.

This followed comments attributed to Ethics Committee spokesman Andreas Bantel, which said that the former France international would be banned for "several years".

FIFA has already rejected attempts by both Platini and Blatter to overturn their suspensions, while the former also lost an appeal bid at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Eckert is due to announce his final ruling on Monday (December 21).

Meanwhile, millions of Swiss Francs have been frozen following a request by the American authorities who are investigating corruption at FIFA.

The Justice Ministry in Switzerland confirmed that the cash in the country's banks had been targeted, as the US probe believes corruption money may have found its way through the accounts.

"US authorities asked for documents related to 50 accounts at different banks, through which corruption money is supposed to have transited," said ministry spokesman Folco Galli after a report in Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, which claimed that up to CHF 100 million (£67 million/$100.3 million/€93 million) could have been frozen.

Forty-one people and entities have now been charged as part of the American investigation, which largely centres on allegations that bribes were taken in exchange for lucrative marketing rights.

It is claimed that illegal deals were carried out in the US using the country's banks, but today's announcement represents the first encroachment into Swiss territory.

United States Department of Justice Attorney General Loretta Lynch has described the betrayal of trust in the cases being investigated as "outrageous".