FIFA president Sepp Blatter resigns amid corruption scandal

FIFA president Sepp Blatter resigned Tuesday in a stunning capitulation to critics as a US criminal investigation reportedly drew closer to ensnaring the most powerful man in world sport.

The Swiss official, who has ruled football’s governing body for 17 years, said he would remain in charge until a special congress can choose a new leader and vowed to pursue strong reforms in that time.

Blatter noted that he had just won re-election from FIFA members on Friday, but said: “I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football.”

Some of Blatter’s opponents rejoiced at his announcement while commercial sponsors urged FIFA to clean up its act and regain public trust.

“Why didn’t he step down last week? Clearly there’s a smoking gun of some sort,” English FA chief Greg Dyke said.

“He’s not been honourable in years. Now he’s gone — let’s celebrate.”

UEFA chief Michel Platini, a former ally who last week told Blatter to his face that he should leave, said: “It was a difficult decision, a brave decision, and the right decision.”

The New York Times, which broke last week’s news of the corruption investigation, reported the 79-year-old was also the focus of an FBI probe, citing law enforcement officials and other sources.

The arrest of seven FIFA officials in a luxury Swiss hotel unleashed a global storm which Blatter tried to weather by defiantly ploughing on when he secured a fifth term with backing from Asia and Africa.

But speaking impassively at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Blatter said it was clear not everyone was on his side in the footballing fraternity including “the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and love football as much as we all do at FIFA”.

‘Profound overhaul’

“I felt compelled to stand for re-election, as I believed that this was the best thing for the organisation,” Blatter told a news conference.

“That election is over but FIFA’s challenges are not. FIFA needs a profound overhaul.”

He added that in his remaining months in office, he would “focus on driving far-reaching, fundamental reforms that transcend our previous efforts”.

Blatter, stolid throughout the 10-minute appearance, then shook the hand of a member of his staff and walked back to his office without taking any questions.

The seven people detained last Wednesday are among 14 football officials and sports marketing executives accused by US prosecutors of complicity in giving or receiving more than $150 million in bribes.

The dawn arrests, and a police raid on FIFA headquarters, were accompanied by the launch of a Swiss investigation into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments to Russia and Qatar.

Qatar has strongly denied any wrongdoing in its bid for 2022 but one senior Qatari official, a FIFA vice president, was banned for life amid accusations that he gave bribes.

“If I was in Qatar I wouldn’t be very confident,” said Dyke, who was involved in England’s unsuccessful bid to stage the 2018 edition.

Blatter had repeatedly pleaded his innocence and that of FIFA. But according to the New York Times and ABC News, the FBI probe is looking directly at his alleged involvement in corruption.

A special congress to choose his replacement cannot be held until between December 2015 and March 2016, according to Domenico Scala, chairman of FIFA’s independent audit and compliance committee.

Romario, the Brazilian football great turned politician, called Blatter’s announcement the “best news for ages!”

“Joseph Blatter stepping down as FIFA president represents the beginning of a new era for world football,” he said.

Australia’s football federation, which lost out to Qatar for 2022, called for the culture of the entire organization to change.

Acting CONCACAF president Alfredo Hawit — who last week replaced former chief Jeffrey Webb, one of those charged in the United States and arrested in Switzerland — said his organization was ready to help rebuild FIFA.

That was echoed by the AFC in Asia, whose numerous members comprise the third-biggest voting bloc for the FIFA leadership, behind Africa and Europe.

Russia’s Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, a member of the FIFA executive and both a key figure in the 2018 World Cup and supporter of Blatter’s, said the resignation came as a “complete shock” but was intended to preserve FIFA’s unity.

Potential replacements

Prince Ali bin al Hussein, who challenged Blatter in last Friday’s vote, signalled that he would be a candidate in a new election.

The Jordanian prince withdrew from the race after the first round of voting.

Other potential replacements mooted include Platini and Portuguese football great Luis Figo.

Among key sponsors, Coca-Cola called the move “a positive step for the good of sport, football and its fans”.

Credit card giant Visa, which warned last week it might withdraw its sponsorship, said Blatter’s resignation was “a significant first step towards rebuilding public trust” but added: “More work lies ahead.”

Blatter took over an international federation facing financial difficulties and turned it into a money-spinning operation that, between the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, made $5.7 billion (5.3 billion euros). FIFA now has a cash mountain of $1.5 billion.

But scandal has never been far from his office. There were allegations over the vote that elected him in 1998, and over the collapse of the ISL sports marketing giant in 2001.

source: interaksyon.com

FIFA insists World Cup preparations on track despite setbacks

COSTA DO SAUIPE – Global football chief Sepp Blatter insisted preparations for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil were on track Tuesday despite construction delays and a deadly accident which mean three stadiums will miss an end-of-year deadline to be ready.

As the football world geared up for Friday’s eagerly-anticipated draw, governing body FIFA revealed three of the tournament’s 12 venues would not be able to meet the December 31 deadline for completion.

One of the venues, Sao Paulo’s Itaquerao stadium, was the scene of a fatal accident last week which claimed the lives of two workers who were crushed to death when a crane toppled over.

In addition, the completion of stadiums at Curitiba and and Cuiaba is now set for February, just four months before the finals kick off in June.

FIFA President Blatter however played down the significance of the construction delays, saying he was confident Brazil would be successful hosts of their first World Cup since 1950.

“We have just received a report. There are some small delays in construction of stadia. But so small that with one exception (Sao Paulo) we can say everything is ready,” said Blatter.

The issues are “so small we can close our eyes,” he added.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said the stadium in Curitiba, which has been lagging behind schedule more than the other venues, would not be ready until the end of February.

“We are not in crisis mood,” Valcke stressed.

“Curitiba is the one where we are facing the most problems and won’t be delivered before the end of February 2014.

“We will be ready to get the stadium by the end of February 2014,” Valcke said.

The Arena Amazonia in Manaus, in the heart of the tropical rain forest, also remains under construction, as does the one at Cuiaba.

Brazilian sports ministry executive secretary Luis Fernandes indicated that the stadiums lagging behind would be ready “in late January, or late February.”

On Wednesday, Brazilian Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo will be among officials fronting pre-draw events where the hosts will stress they can overcome doubts about transport links, hotel prices and urban crime.

Representatives from the Ministry of Tourism and the Civil Aviation authority will also address complaints about unreasonably high prices.

Other concerns focused on accommodation capacity with some 600,000 foreign tourists expected to attend the month-long event starting June 12 in Sao Paulo.

There is also a shortage of domestic flight links between venues as the government mulls whether to allow foreign airlines to run domestic routes to ease the strain.

Some countries are also worried about the sheer size of the country, as some teams may face an onerous travel schedule with matches as far south as Porto Alegre, cold in the Brazilian winter, but also in tropical Manaus, and sultry Fortaleza some 3,000 kilometres (1,900 miles) away.

Italy on Wednesday is set to propose the introduction of two two-minute time-outs per match to reduce the risk of players becoming dehydrated after FIFA elected not to change early afternoon kickoff times in some venues where the heat is likely to be a factor.

The draw itself will feature eight groups of four teams and one of nine non-seeded European nations will face being moved into pot 2 alongside the five-strong African contingent and two South American sides.

England coach Roy Hodgson, whose unseeded team could be in line for a tough draw, says the geography issue is almost as important as which teams his men will face.

“There are venues in Brazil that will be harder to play in than others,” said Hodgson before heading for Costa do Sauipe from Rio.

The eight seeds are hosts Brazil, reigning champions Spain, three-time winners Germany, Argentina, conquerors of two titles, fellow two-time winners Uruguay, Colombia, Belgium, and Switzerland, whom Hodgson led to the second round at USA ’94.

With the draw venue an hour’s drive north of the Bahia state capital Salvador, organizers are hoping the event will not be marred by the kind of popular unrest which hit last June’s Confederations Cup.

Many Brazilians are angry at the estimated $11 billion cost of staging the World Cup — about another $15 billion will follow for the 2016 Rio Olympics — believing the money would have been better spent on improving public transport,education and health care services.

source: interaksyon.com