FIFA president Sepp Blatter says "football is not a corrupt sport"

FIFA president Joseph Blatter, who will leave his role in February, said on Monday that football is not a corrupt sport. 

"The institution is not corrupt. There is no corruption in football, there is corruption with individuals. It is the people," said Blatter, 79, in an interview with the BBC.

"I know what I have done, what I have not done, I have my conscience and I know I'm an honest man. I am clean. I am not a worried man."

Blatter has been the FIFA president since 1998, but announced he would step down from the role four days after being re-elected earlier this year after several members of FIFA were detained by police on corruption charges. 

"I did it [resigned] because I wanted to protect FIFA. I can protect myself. I am strong enough," he added.