Sepp Blatter quits as FIFA president
In an unexpected turn of events, Sepp Blatter announced on Tuesday that he will be quitting as FIFA president in the face of a corruption investigation that has plunged the game's governing body into the worst crisis in its history.
Blatter, 79, announced the decision at a hastily arranged news conference in Zurich, six days after the FBI raided a hotel in Zurich and arrested several FIFA officials and just four days after he was re-elected to a fifth term as president.
Blatter said an election to choose a new president for the deeply troubled organization would be held as soon as possible. A FIFA official said that could happen any time from December this year to March of next year.
"FIFA needs profound restructuring," said Blatter, a Swiss national who has been a dominating presence at FIFA for decades.
"I have thoroughly considered my presidency and thought about my presidency and the last 40 years of my life," Blatter, speaking in French, told the news conference.
"I decided to stand again to be elected because I was convinced it was the best option for football.
"Although the members of FIFA gave me a new mandate, this mandate does not seem to be supported by everyone in the world."
Blatter's decision was immediately welcomed by his most prominent critics.
European football federation chief Michel Platini, a French former international soccer star, said: "It was a difficult decision, a brave decision, and the right decision."
Greg Dyke, chairman of the English Football Association, said it was "good news for world football". He then asked: "Who got him? Who shot him? What happened between then (when he was elected) and now?" [Read more on Reuters]
Good riddance . I hope the FBI prosecute him
WT - One example is there was not FBI/US/Western intervention for the 1998 or 2010. Blazer agreed even they got bribe from the French.
The main problem for them is Russia..
Why these medias and western countries are against Qatar and middle east? Is that their right to host FIFA only in those countries?? In such cases, no western companies should be allowed to do business here in Qatar, UAE or Saudi? With out doing business in middle east, 70% of the companies cannot even exist.... they want only the money of middle east but when it comes to the rights of GCC countries they are all against... why this racism????
Qatar will host 2022 for sure, no matter what some of the westerners say......
LLR, your comment has a very strong foundation. "Hypocritical West" is nothing but an empty term. Where is your proof? "if suppose..", and "would have won..", and "would have recognized.." are merely hypothetical assumptions.
Former top FIFA official Chuck Blazer admits that he and others on the executive committee agreed to accept bribes in conjunction with the choice of South Africa as 2010 World Cup host.
Source: BBC
still*
According to Hypocritical West "Blair is till a peace envoy but blatter is a disgraceful person". Problem for west is Russia's 2018 victory...if suppose any western country would have won, west would have recongnize Blatter as the King.