Blatter thought he was 'close to dying'

PARIS • Suspended Fifa president Sepp Blatter has revealed that he feared he was dying during a recent health scare.

The 79-year-old, who has been banned for 90 days following a probe into widespread corruption at football's world governing body, was hospitalised this month suffering from stress. "I was close to dying. I was between the angels who were singing and the devil who was lighting the fire, but it was the angels who sang," he told Swiss broadcaster RTS.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Kenyan athletes protest against doping

NAIROBI • • Dozens of Kenyan athletes stormed their athletics federation's headquarters in Nairobi yesterday, locking out officials and demanding that top Athletics Kenya (AK) bosses step down following allegations of graft and doping cover-ups.

Kenya has in recent years been rocked by failed drug tests and AK has drawn criticism for not doing enough to tackle doping.

REUTERS

Benitez speculation rife as Perez to speak

MADRID • Real Madrid president Florentino Perez was scheduled to address a press conference yesterday evening (this morning, Singapore time) as speculation grew about the future of manager Rafael Benitez following the Spanish football club's 4-0 thrashing by Barcelona on Saturday.

Reports in Spain claimed Benitez would keep his job, although Cristiano Ronaldo is said to have issued Perez an ultimatum that either Benitez is sacked or he leaves.