ZURICH, June 1 (Reuters) - Sepp Blatter cleared the final obstacle to a fourth term as FIFA president on Wednesday when delegates decided overwhelmingly to proceed with the vote, but soccer’s woes deepened with fresh calls for a probe into Qatar being awarded the 2022 World Cup.
England’s proposal to delay the election, which has incumbent Blatter as the only candidate, was defeated by 172 votes to 17 and the 75-year-old Swiss can expect to be re-elected unopposed later on Wednesday.
“We must put this ship back on course and for this we need a leader,” Blatter told delegates after the vote. “I am willing to do this.”
He added: “We have been hit and I personally have been slapped.”
Blatter’s problems are far from over with the president under new pressure to investigate the process that saw Qatar awarded the 2022 World Cup.
Theo Zwanziger, head of Germany’s influential soccer federation, said FIFA could not afford to ignore suspicions about the vote.
“There is a considerable degree of suspicion that one cannot simply sweep aside, and I must expect that awarding this World Cup under these conditions needs to be examined anew,” he told German television.
Blatter has run soccer’s world governing body since 1998 and led it through a period of unprecedented prosperity on the sale of TV rights and sponsorship.
But the game’s reputation has been cast under the microscope after a spate of corruption allegations, the suspension of two senior FIFA officials and suggestions Qatar bought the World Cup, which the Gulf state has strenuously denied.
Absent from the Congress was Mohamed bin Hammam, who had planned to stand against Blatter before ethics proceedings were opened against him.
Bin Hammam was subsequently suspended pending a further investigation and the Qatari Asian Football Confederation chief was denied entry to the Congress on Wednesday.
Both Bin Hammam and FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, who was also suspended, have denied any wrongdoing.
INTERNAL CHAOS
In another twist, Chuck Blazer—an American whose whistle-blowing led to the suspension of Bin Hammam and Trinidadian Warner—was sacked on Tuesday from his position on the regional soccer body CONCACAF.
An hour later, that body for North and Central America and the Caribbean declared the dismissal invalid.
The internal chaos magnified the drama surrounding the FIFA Congress in Zurich, where Blatter is now assured of what he has promised will be a final four-year mandate.
Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey called for swift FIFA reform while Asian anger grew over FIFA’s handling of Bin Hammam.
“We are planning to make our voices heard,” Nepal’s AFC vice-president Ganesh Thapa told Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper. Mohamed (bin) Hammam has been a great leader for Asia. (What FIFA has done) is not fair play.”
The crisis at FIFA, which Blatter called “a little difficulty” on Monday, has triggered criticism from around the world.
Among those backing moves to stop Blatter were English FA president Prince William, who was “fully supportive” of the failed proposal to postpone the vote.
Calmy-Rey told delegates that FIFA needed to “take seriously” the criticisms voiced about corruption.
“It is important you examine them swiftly and take the necessary measures to reform your governance. It is of the utmost importance because your organisation should be an example not only to young people but to the world at large.
“What is important is to restore full confidence in the organisation; let not money spoil your ideals,” she added.
Sponsors also spoke out.
Visa Inc and Emirates Airlines were the latest of FIFA’s most important sponsors, or Partners as the governing body calls them, to express disquiet at the allegations of corruption, following in the steps of Coca-Cola and Adidas who had earlier voiced concern.
The other two members of the six-strong group of Partners, Sony and Hyundai-Kia have made no comment.
England’s proposal to delay the election, which has incumbent Blatter as the only candidate, was defeated by 172 votes to 17 and the 75-year-old Swiss can expect to be re-elected unopposed later on Wednesday.
“We must put this ship back on course and for this we need a leader,” Blatter told delegates after the vote. “I am willing to do this.”
He added: “We have been hit and I personally have been slapped.”
Blatter’s problems are far from over with the president under new pressure to investigate the process that saw Qatar awarded the 2022 World Cup.
Theo Zwanziger, head of Germany’s influential soccer federation, said FIFA could not afford to ignore suspicions about the vote.
“There is a considerable degree of suspicion that one cannot simply sweep aside, and I must expect that awarding this World Cup under these conditions needs to be examined anew,” he told German television.
Blatter has run soccer’s world governing body since 1998 and led it through a period of unprecedented prosperity on the sale of TV rights and sponsorship.
But the game’s reputation has been cast under the microscope after a spate of corruption allegations, the suspension of two senior FIFA officials and suggestions Qatar bought the World Cup, which the Gulf state has strenuously denied.
Absent from the Congress was Mohamed bin Hammam, who had planned to stand against Blatter before ethics proceedings were opened against him.
Bin Hammam was subsequently suspended pending a further investigation and the Qatari Asian Football Confederation chief was denied entry to the Congress on Wednesday.
Both Bin Hammam and FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, who was also suspended, have denied any wrongdoing.
INTERNAL CHAOS
In another twist, Chuck Blazer—an American whose whistle-blowing led to the suspension of Bin Hammam and Trinidadian Warner—was sacked on Tuesday from his position on the regional soccer body CONCACAF.
An hour later, that body for North and Central America and the Caribbean declared the dismissal invalid.
The internal chaos magnified the drama surrounding the FIFA Congress in Zurich, where Blatter is now assured of what he has promised will be a final four-year mandate.
Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey called for swift FIFA reform while Asian anger grew over FIFA’s handling of Bin Hammam.
“We are planning to make our voices heard,” Nepal’s AFC vice-president Ganesh Thapa told Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper. Mohamed (bin) Hammam has been a great leader for Asia. (What FIFA has done) is not fair play.”
The crisis at FIFA, which Blatter called “a little difficulty” on Monday, has triggered criticism from around the world.
Among those backing moves to stop Blatter were English FA president Prince William, who was “fully supportive” of the failed proposal to postpone the vote.
Calmy-Rey told delegates that FIFA needed to “take seriously” the criticisms voiced about corruption.
“It is important you examine them swiftly and take the necessary measures to reform your governance. It is of the utmost importance because your organisation should be an example not only to young people but to the world at large.
“What is important is to restore full confidence in the organisation; let not money spoil your ideals,” she added.
Sponsors also spoke out.
Visa Inc and Emirates Airlines were the latest of FIFA’s most important sponsors, or Partners as the governing body calls them, to express disquiet at the allegations of corruption, following in the steps of Coca-Cola and Adidas who had earlier voiced concern.
The other two members of the six-strong group of Partners, Sony and Hyundai-Kia have made no comment.
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