Sepp Blatter resign as FIFA president

ZURICH - Sepp Blatter on Tuesday resigned as president of FIFA, four
days after being re-elected to a fifth term, in a stunning capitulation to
critics as a mounting corruption scandal engulfed world football's
governing body.

The 79-year-old Swiss official, FIFA president for 17 years and only
reelected on Friday, calmly told a hastily arranged press conference
that a special congress would be called as soon as possible to choose
a successor.

"I felt compelled to stand for re-election, as I believed that this was
the best thing for the organisation," he told a hastily arranged press
conference at the organisation's Zurich headquarters.

"That election is over but FIFA’s challenges are not. FIFA needs a
profound overhaul," Blatter added.

Blatter did not mention the corruption storm that erupted less than a
week ago, but went on: "While I have a mandate from the membership
of FIFA, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of
football – the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live,
breathe and love football as much as we all do at FIFA.

"Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary
elective Congress. I will continue to exercise my functions as FIFA
President until that election."

Blatter has defiantly held off resignation calls for many months amid
controversies over the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup to
Russia and Qatar and more recently over bribes allegedly taken by top
soccer officials.

Swiss police arrested seven FIFA officials, including two vice
presidents, at a Zurich hotel last Wednesday setting off the latest
storm for Blatter.

The arrests were carried out on behalf of US prosecutors who accuse
the seven, and eight other suspects, of involvement in $150 million of
bribes.

Blatter had repeatedly pleaded his innocence and that of FIFA over the
corruption.

"The executive committee includes representatives of confederations
over whom we have no control, but for whose actions FIFA is held
responsible. We need deep-rooted structural change," he reaffirmed in
his statement.

Blatter said he would remain in office as an interim leader until the
election.

The special congress cannot be held until between December 2015 and
March 2016, according to Domenico Scala, chairman of FIFA's
independent audit and compliance committee.

Critics were quick to welcome Blatter's shock announcement, though
some praised him.

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

English Football Association chief Greg Dyke, one of the fiercest
criticis of the FIFA leader, said the resignation was "great for football."
Prince Ali bin al Hussein, who challenged Blatter in last Friday's vote,
immediately announced that he will be a candidate to take over.
The Jordanian prince withdrew from the race after the first round of
voting at the Zurich congress.

Blatter beat him by 133 votes to 73 in the first round, with rock solid
support from Asia and Africa seeing him through.

Blatter has been with FIFA for 40 years, starting as a marketing official,
becoming secretary general in 1978 and becoming president in 1998,
taking over from Joao Havelange, whose long reign was also
overshadowed by scandal.

The Swiss official took over an international federation facing financial
difficulties and turned it into a multi-billion dollar operation.
In the four years between the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, FIFA made
$5.7 billion (5.3 billion euros). The organisation has a cash mountain
of $1.5 billion.

But since the first day, scandal has never been far from his office.
There were allegations over the vote that elected him in 1998 and the
collapse of the ISL sports marketing giant also triggered a crisis at
FIFA.

The past four years have been his toughest however. The day after the
December 2010 vote that awarded the 2018 and 2022 World Cups
triggered widespread accusations of bribery.

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

Swiss police investigating the award of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments
and raided the FIFA headquarters last Wednesday when the arrests
were being carried out at a luxury city hotel.

"It is my deep care for FIFA and its interests, which I hold very dear,
that has led me to take this decision. I would like to thank those who
have always supported me in a constructive and loyal manner as
president of FIFA and who have done so much for the game that we all
love," he told the press conference.

"What matters to me more than anything is that when all of this is
over, football is the winner."

Blatter, stolid throughout the 10 minute appearance, then shook the
hand of a member of his staff and calmly walked back to his office.
Sepp Blatter's resignation speech

I have been reflecting deeply about my presidency and about the forty
years in which my life has been inextricably bound to FIFA and the
great sport of football.

I cherish FIFA more than anything and I want to do only what is best
for FIFA and for football. I felt compelled to stand for re-election, as I
believed that this was the best thing for the organisation. That
election is over but FIFA’s challenges are not.

FIFA needs a profound overhaul. While I have a mandate from the
membership of FIFA, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire
world of football – the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who
live, breathe and love football as much as we all do at FIFA.

Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary
elective Congress. I will continue to exercise my functions as FIFA
President until that election.

The next ordinary FIFA Congress will take place on 13 May 2016 in
Mexico City. This would create unnecessary delay and I will urge the
Executive Committee to organise an Extraordinary Congress for the
election of my successor at the earliest opportunity.

This will need to be done in line with FIFA’s statutes and we must
allow enough time for the best candidates to present themselves and
to campaign.

Since I shall not be a candidate, and am therefore now free from the
constraints that elections inevitably impose, I shall be able to focus
on driving far-reaching, fundamental reforms that transcend our
previous efforts.

For years, we have worked hard to put in place administrative reforms,
but it is plain to me that while these must continue, they are not
enough.

The Executive Committee includes representatives of confederations
over whom we have no control, but for whose actions FIFA is held
responsible. We need deep-rooted structural change.

The size of the Executive Committee must be reduced and its members
should be elected through the FIFA Congress.

The integrity checks for all Executive Committee members must be
organised centrally through FIFA and not through the confederations.
We need term limits not only for the president but for all members of
the Executive Committee.

I have fought for these changes before and, as everyone knows, my
efforts have been blocked. This time, I will succeed. I cannot do this
alone.

I have asked Domenico Scala to oversee the introduction and
implementation of these and other measures. Mr. Scala is the
Independent Chairman of our Audit and Compliance Committee elected
by the FIFA Congress.

He is also the Chairman of the ad hoc Electoral Committee and, as
such, he will oversee the election of my successor. Mr. Scala enjoys
the confidence of a wide range of constituents within and outside of
FIFA and has all the knowledge and experience necessary to help
tackle these major reforms.

It is my deep care for FIFA and its interests, which I hold very dear,
that has led me to take this decision. I would like to thank those who
have always supported me in a constructive and loyal manner as
President of FIFA and who have done so much for the game that we all
love.

What matters to me more than anything is that when all of this is over,
football is the winner.
- Reuters

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