FIFA
President Sepp Blatter has confirmed he will stand for a fifth term in charge
of world football in an election in May 2015. Under fire for alleged
corruption, the organization is facing calls for widespread reform.
Deutsche Welle, 26 Sep 2014
"I
have announced to the Executive Committee ... that I will accept the demands of
different associations and federations [to stand for election] to serve FIFA
for a fifth mandate," Blatter said at a press conference in Zurich on
Friday.
The
78-year-old has been FIFA's president since 1998, but has faced growing
criticism from European football associations in recent months.
His path to
what appears to be clear re-election was opened up after UEFA boss Michel Platini
announced in August that he would not challenge Blatter. Blatter said after
winning his fourth term in 2011 that it would be his last, but made it clear in
recent months that he had changed his mind.
The
election will be held at the next FIFA congress in Zurich on May 29, 2015. So
far the only other candidate is Jerome Champagne, a former FIFA deputy
secretary general from France.
Champagne
has said FIFA needs reform after widespread accusations of corruption, but has
acknowledged he has little chance of beating Blatter.
World Cup
secrets
FIFA
remains embroiled in controversy over the way the 2018 and 2022 World Cup
tournament hosts were determined. Blatter said on Friday that ethics prosecutor
Michael Garcia's report into alleged corruption in the 2018-2022 World Cup
bidding will stay secret.
Blatter
said no member of the Executive Committee asked for the report to be published
at its meeting on Friday. Garcia issued a statement on Wednesday this week,
calling for FIFA's ruling board to allow publication of his work. He has
submitted first-draft reports of over 400 pages from his investigative team.
Several
FIFA board members have publicly backed the American prosecutor, with some
seeking full disclosure. Blatter says those members "were not there"
on December 2, 2010 when the board gave Russia and Qatar respectively the
hosting rights.
al/jr (AFP, dpa)
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