Goal-line technology a must: Blatter

Updated June 20, 2012 22:57:09

FIFA boss Sepp Blatter said on Wednesday that the introduction of goal-line technology is a must after Ukraine's apparent equaliser against England in their final Euro 2012 group match was not awarded.

"After last night's match #GLT is no longer an alternative but a necessity," the president of football's world governing body Sepp Blatter wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.

Blatter has frequently stated his position in favour of technology to determine disputed decisions, setting him at odds with his counterpart at European football's governing body UEFA, Michel Platini.

Platini this week told reporters in Warsaw that the five officials currently being used in Euro 2012, including two on the goal-line, would prevent any repeat of controversial incidents.

He again said that technology was a slippery slope towards its use for every decision, including off-side and handball.

But the five officials at co-hosts Ukraine's final group D match with England in Kiev on Tuesday were under scrutiny after Marko Devic forced a save from Joe Hart in the 62nd minute and John Terry cleared off the line.

Television replays suggested that the ball had crossed the line for a goal but Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai waved play on.

"The result of the match turned on a gross error by the officials who didn't give the Ukrainian goal," Ukraine's Sport-Express newspaper said on its website on Wednesday.

"And it all happened with five officials, two of whom were in charge of seeing whether a ball crosses the line."

It had not been the case the previous evening when Italian striker Antonio Cassano benefited from a sharp-eyed fifth official who correctly called that his header had crossed the line in the 2-0 win against Ireland.

FIFA is currently trialling two prototypes of goal-line technology, one from British firm HawkEye, which uses a series of cameras in stadium roofs to track the trajectory of the ball and another from German firm GoalRef, which uses sensors.

Both have been tested in match conditions in recent months, with monitors observing the performance of HawkEye during England's pre-Euro 2012 warm-up game against Belgium at Wembley stadium.

Also on Wednesday, UEFA's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina, admitted the goal should have been given.

"The ball crossed the line. That was unfortunate," Collina told a news conference in the Polish capital, Warsaw, the day after the match in Donetsk that England won 1-0.

Collina blamed human error for the call but said two similar decisions in the 24 matches so far played in the tournament had been correct, adding: "The third, unfortunately, was wrong."

AFP

Tags: sport, soccer, soccer-world-cup, ukraine

First posted June 20, 2012 22:11:18

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Blatter calls for alternative to shootouts

Updated May 26, 2012 09:15:30

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has called on Germany's World Cup winner Franz Beckenbauer and a panel of experts to try to come up with an alternative to penalty shootouts to settle drawn matches.

Blatter was speaking to delegates at the FIFA Congress on Friday less than a week after Chelsea beat Bayern Munich on penalties to win the Champions League final.

"Football can be a tragedy when you go to penalty kicks. Football is a team game, when it goes to one against one football loses its essence," Blatter said.

"Perhaps Franz Beckenbauer, with his Football 2014 group, can show us a solution, perhaps not today but in the future."

Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup with Germany as both a player and manager was among the delegates at the congress, was not immediately available for comment but his views are well known on the matter.

The German has said he would rather have penalties than either a golden or silver goal which were used briefly to determine matches.

Blatter has been calling for reforms to the game for a while and this is not the first time he has said he wanted to see penalty shootouts replaced.

But the fact he made the comment in his speech to delegates underlines his desire for the Football Committee to take some action on the issue.

Dozens of high profile finals, including the 1994 and 2006 World Cup finals, European Championships and Champions League finals have all been decided on penalties since they were introduced in their modern format in 1970.

Reuters

Tags: sport, soccer, brazil

First posted May 26, 2012 09:15:30

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Maradona takes aim at FIFA, Blatter

Posted June 5, 2011 11:02:00

Diego Maradona took aim at FIFA and its president Sepp Blatter, saying football was corrupt and had to put its house in order.

"Things are neither clear nor clean in the world of football right now and many people recognise this reality," asserted the Argentinian World Cup winner during a press conference in Dubai, where he has taken on a two-year coaching contract with local outfit Al-Wasl.

FIFA has been mired in months of corruption allegations but Blatter has managed to rise above the storm and on Wednesday won a landslide vote to be re-elected unopposed as the head of world football's governing body following the withdrawal of Asian football chief Mohamed bin Hammam, suspended amid claims of bribery.

Maradona, who has enjoyed his own share of negative headlines owing to past drug-related suspensions, says he is unimpressed with the game's rulers.

"Every day we see more corruption and manipulation of matches," charged the 50-year-old who helped Argentina to the 1986 World Cup on a day which saw reports emerge of alleged matchfixing on a friendly international between his own country and Nigeria amid claims of unusual betting patterns.

Asked if he backed Blatter's campaign to reform FIFA and its decision-making processes Maradona, sacked last year as Argentina coach, said: "I do not support anybody but I love football. I do not like those who are corrupt and who engage in corruption and I do not support them."

He added that in the past he had turned down offers to play some role in the FIFA "family".

Maradona asked: "What is this family that they speak of? None of them has ever played football. And when they are at the helm they make a multitude of wrong and stupid mistakes. They don't ask our opinion or advice to promote football," Maradona added.

And he insisted that "we will carry on our fight to get these people to quit FIFA. I ask them to leave.

"(But) Blatter is not going to resign. Let us not be under any illusions, nothing is going to change. Unfortunately, we have a big museum to FIFA - dinosaurs who do not want to leave power," Maradona summed up.

On his new challenge to bring success to 2010 Gulf Champions League winners Al-Wasl, currently fourth in the table and 16 points adrift of champions-elect Al-Jazira, Maradona insisted that reports of a 10 million dollar contract were exaggerated.

"We're a long way off that figure - these days the big contracts go to the players, not the coaches."

Match-fixing probe

Meanwhile, FIFA has confirmed Argentina's 4-1 friendly defeat to Nigeria is being investigated for possible match-fixing.

"FIFA can confirm that this match between Nigeria and Argentina was one that we had an active interest in, and forms part of a wider ongoing FIFA investigation," FIFA said in a statement.

"In particular, FIFA will be working closely with colleagues at the FIFA early warning system."

The match, played in Abuja on Wednesday, is by far the highest profile to come under suspicion. Argentina's goal came from a soft penalty awarded in the seventh minute of injury-time.

- AFP/Reuters

Tags: sport, football, argentina, nigeria, switzerland

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Blatter re-elected unopposed

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Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Broadcast: 05/06/2011

Reporter: Barrie Cassidy

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has promised to rebuild the organisation after being re-elected unopposed.

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Blatter repeats England criticism

Posted June 3, 2011 19:39:00

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has echoed comments by his vice-president Julio Grondona that England was always the source of accusations against soccer's governing body.

Blatter, re-elected unopposed on Wednesday for a fourth term, joked that he had "cauliflower ears" from the criticism that rained down on FIFA over the past few weeks.

"I have strengthened my will to fight because I'm convinced that much, or most, of what FIFA has been accused is not correct," he said in an interview with Switzerland's Tagesanzeiger newspaper.

"Astonishingly, it always comes from the same corners ... The English FA president (David Bernstein) said almost tearfully: 'It gives me no pleasure to say this.' So why did he say it then?"

Argentina's Grondona launched an astonishing attack on England during Wednesday's FIFA Congress it had been complaining since 1974 when Stanley Rous lost the presidency to Joao Havelange.

He also accused British media of publishing lies.

An English FA proposal to cancel Wednesday's election was defeated.

Blatter, who said on Wednesday that there would be no recriminations against England, pointed out that UEFA President Michel Platini was also unopposed when he was re-elected in March.

"Have a quick look back at how the president of UEFA and other confederations were elected and how many candidates there were," he said.

"FIFA is not corrupt. I cannot start with the word corrupt. Someone is only corrupt when he is been found guilty.

"I have been given good a beating and I have two cauliflower ears."

Blatter again distanced himself from his 24-man executive committee, saying it would not have accepted the reforms passed by Congress - at which each of the 208 member associations has one vote - on Wednesday.

"I had to wait until I had the right platform for them, which was Congress. I have always said that my partners in FIFA are the national associations, who choose me," he said.

"In the executive are people who are chosen by the confederations. After two members were suspended in November, I knew I must do something."

Four executive committee members have been suspended - two in November and two more last Sunday, who have been provisionally banned pending further investigations.

Blatter said he had still to decide what to do about secretary general Jerome Valcke over an email to an executive committee member in which he said that Qatar "bought" the right to host the 2022 World Cup.

"I have already said I would deal with this after the FIFA Congress," he said.

Valcke has said he was the author of the email but denied he had accused Qatar of corruption.

- Reuters

Tags: sport, football, switzerland, united-kingdom, england

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Blatter likely to be re-elected

Published:Wednesday, June 1, 2011 7:21 AESTExpires:Tuesday, August 30, 2011 7:21 AEST

Sepp Blatter is expected to be re-elected as FIFA president despite controversy over claims of corruption and vote-buying.

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Tags: sports-organisations, football, switzerland

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Sepp Blatter affirms FIFA innocence

Published:Tuesday, May 31, 2011 7:19 AESTExpires:Monday, August 29, 2011 7:19 AEST

FIFA chief Sepp Blatter has denied any wrongdoing by the organisation amid further claims that officials accepted bribes in the 2022 World Cup bid.

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Tags: sport, football, world-cup, qatar, switzerland

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Blatter re-elected FIFA president

Last Updated: Thu, 2 Jun 2011 03:31:00 +1000

Sepp Blatter has been re-elected unopposed as the head of football's world governing body FIFA for a new four-year term.

The 208-member FIFA congress voted on the presidency in Zurich overnight.

Blatter was the only candidate in the election, with his former rival Mohamed Bin Hammam suspended pending investigation over bribery allegations.

He says he is the man to steer the ship through troubled waters, and he has promised to overhaul World Cup voting, and FIFA's Ethics Committee.

"We will need some time we cannot do it from one day to the next," Blatter said.

The English football association had pushed to get the vote postponed, but was chastised for its rebellion.

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Blatter gets four more years as boss of FIFA

PETER CAVE: Sepp Blatter has been re-elected unopposed but not unanimously for four more years as head of soccer's world ruling body FIFA.

Blatter won 186 votes out of the 203 cast in the poll, with 17 abstentions.

A push by England for the vote to be postponed in the wake of the current corruption scandal fell flat.

Europe correspondent, Rachael Brown, reports.

RACHAEL BROWN: Sepp Blatter and Colonel Gaddafi grace the front page of England's Sun newspaper. The headline, "Despot the difference".

The FIFA boss has been labelled a deluded dictator, clinging to power as his regime crumbles around him, but inside the FIFA family his power base is as strong as ever.

He's pronounced himself captain Blatter.

SEPP BLATTER (translated): We all know the FIFA ship is in moving waters, I could even say in troubled waters, but I think this ship must be brought back on the right route and I am the captain of the ship.

RACHAEL BROWN: The English and Scottish football associations had called for the vote to be postponed.

The FA chairman, David Bernstein.

DAVID BERNSTEIN: The election has turned into a one horse race. A coronation without an opponent provides a flawed mandate.

RACHAEL BROWN: But he was humiliated, other members of the FIFA family attacked him for the rebellion and overwhelmingly voted for the presidency poll to go ahead as planned.

ANNOUNCER: One-hundred-and-seventy-two no for this proposal of the FA to postpone the elections.

RACHAEL BROWN: Then it was down to business. One commentator noted paint would've dried quicker than the time it took for the FIFA family to go through the motions.

COMMENTATOR: Could they have devised a slower system of voting where you only have to get 200 plus votes into a ballot box with only one name.

RACHAEL BROWN: And the winner is?

ANNOUNCER: One-eight-six for the president Joseph S. Blatter.

SEPP BLATTER (translated): I would simply like to tell you that I am deeply moved, I am honoured.

RACHAEL BROWN: Australia's football federation, which hasn't weighed into the recent bickering about FIFA and its leader, says it's optimistic about the reforms promised.

The FFA's chief executive, Ben Buckley.

BEN BUCKLEY: Well certainly the language coming from the president and the rest of the FIFA executives today was positive in that it would look to reform the decision making process, particularly around the World Cup.

And we've been on the record before as saying that that process is somewhat flawed and needs to be looked at.

There's a strong willingness for FIFA to look at the governance practices and that's a good step in the right direction.

PETER CAVE: FFA's chief executive Ben Buckley.

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Sepp Blatter re-elected as FIFA head

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Sepp Blatter elected FIFA president

2 June 2011

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Sepp Blatter's re-election to FIFA's top job was uncontested yesterday after his only rival, Qatar's Mohamed bin Hammam, was suspended over bribery allegations. After having initially ignored the claims of widespread corruption in FIFA, the newly elected president finally admitted there were problems, and said he'd establish a committee to deal with them.

FIFA delegates did also make one important change to the way future World Cups would be allocated. From now on, all 208 Football Association delegates will vote for the winning country from a short-list drafted by the 24-member executive committee.

Matt Scott
Football columnist for the Guardian newspaper

Michel Panayotov, international editor

Radio National often provides links to external websites to complement program information. While producers have taken care with all selections, we can neither endorse nor take final responsibility for the content of those sites.

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Blatter re-elected as FIFA head

Updated June 2, 2011 13:09:00

Sepp Blatter has been re-elected unopposed as FIFA president, promising to use his final term to radically reform soccer's ailing world governing body.

Blatter won the backing of 186 of the 203 voting delegates after brushing aside a late challenge when federations agreed to let the election go ahead despite the lack of a rival, and a series of scandals that have damaged the organisation's credibility.

Even as he returned to the hall to receive flowers and the applause of the majority of voters, Blatter was facing fresh problems after Germany's influential Football Association called for an investigation into the process that saw Qatar awarded the 2022 World Cup.

Blatter, the 75-year-old Swiss who has run FIFA since 1998, did not address that issue directly, but said he was determined to clean up FIFA from within.

"We will put the ship back on course in clear transparent waters," a triumphant Blatter told delegates.

In reference to the ongoing accusations of corruption, Blatter had earlier said: "We have been hit and I personally have been slapped."

With Qatari Mohamed bin Hammam having dropped out of the race - he was subsequently suspended pending an inquiry into bribery claims - Blatter effectively sealed victory when England's motion for a postponement was defeated by 172 votes to 17.

The actual election was a formality.

Blatter, who has repeatedly said this will be his final term, traced FIFA's problems back to last year's vote, when the inner circle of executive committee members chose Russia to host the World Cup in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.

He promised on Wednesday to shift power to award future World Cup hosting rights to FIFA's full 208-member congress, though the 2026 World Cup will not be up for grabs for another six or seven years.

He also promised a tougher "zero tolerance" policy from the ethics committee, which he said would be "reinforced and professionalised", and said he wanted a special one-day congress to examine current accusations against FIFA.

"Where does all this evil come from which is now in FIFA?" he said.

"It has to do with the popularity of our competition, the flagship competition, the World Cup. The attribution of the World Cup ... kicked off a wave of accusations, proposals, allegations, criticism and they are still coming."

One of them is that Qatar may have "bought" the World Cup, an accusation the Qatar bid has denied.

German Football Association chief Theo Zwanziger said FIFA could not afford to ignore the suspicions, which have been denied by Qatar's bid team.

"There is a considerable degree of suspicion that one cannot simply sweep aside," Zwanziger told German television.

FIFA is facing what general secretary Jerome Valcke agreed was a "watershed moment", with the crisis being compared to the Salt Lake City corruption case the International Olympic Committee had to deal with in 1998.

Since then the IOC has strictly controlled the bidding process, banning all members from travelling to candidate cities unless they are part of the official evaluation commission.

Blatter will need to provide more detail if he is to satisfy critics he is equally serious about reform.

Blatter has led FIFA through a period of unprecedented prosperity on the sale of TV rights and sponsorship.

The financial report submitted to delegates on Wednesday showed reserves of $US1.3 billion, with TV rights for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa having brought in $US4.2 billion between 2007-10.

Behind the money and the glitz, however, the game's reputation has been put under the microscope after a spate of corruption allegations and the suspension of Bin Hammam and fellow executive committee member Jack Warner.

The two men, who are facing an investigation into bribery claims in the election, have denied any wrongdoing.

In another twist, Chuck Blazer - an American whose whistle-blowing led to the suspension of Bin Hammam and Warner - was sacked on Tuesday from his position on CONCACAF.

An hour later, that organisation, which runs soccer in North and Central America and the Caribbean, declared the dismissal invalid but the split deepened on Wednesday as acting president Lisle Austin insisted Blazer had indeed been lawfully dismissed.

The internal chaos magnified the drama surrounding the FIFA Congress in Zurich.

Swiss president Micheline Calmy-Rey called for swift FIFA reform, telling delegates FIFA needed to "take seriously" the criticisms voiced about corruption.

"What is important is to restore full confidence in the organisation; let not money spoil your ideals," she said.

FIFA has also faced criticism from four of its six top-tier sponsors concerned about possible damage by association.

- Reuters

Tags: sport, football, switzerland

First posted June 2, 2011 05:09:00

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'FIFA pyramid' under attack: Blatter

Updated June 1, 2011 08:19:00

Beleaguered football chief Sepp Blatter said the foundations of football's governing body were under threat as he formally opened the 61st FIFA congress overnight.

In remarks to delegates at a glitzy opening ceremony which followed weeks of corruption allegations, Blatter warned the organisation was being threatened by a "danger" attacking its foundations.

"I thought that we were living in a world of fair play, respect and discipline," Blatter said.

"I must unfortunately say this is not the case.

"Because our pyramid, our famous FIFA pyramid, is unsure of its base and there is a danger.

"So tomorrow (Wednesday) at the congress, I will speak of this danger that is there lurking and how we can react against this threat of danger so that our sport can play its role in bringing people together."

Blatter's remarks came following weeks of lurid allegations of corruption among top FIFA officials.

The 75-year-old Swiss is set to be elected to another four-year term following the withdrawal of Qatari rival Mohamed bin Hammam, who was later suspended in connection with a vote-buying scandal.

English and Scottish officials on Tuesday called on FIFA to postpone the election, saying the corruption allegations of recent weeks had made it unworkable.

- AFP

Tags: sport, football, switzerland

First posted June 1, 2011 06:33:00

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Blatter dispells crisis within FIFA

Published:Tuesday, May 31, 2011 10:00 AEST

FIFA President Sepp Blatter displays the FIFA booklet 'My Game is Fair Play' as he addresses a news conference at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich on May 30, 2011.

Tags: sport, football, english-premier-league, switzerland

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Blatter cleared in FIFA corruption probe

Updated May 30, 2011 08:07:00

The FIFA ethics committee suspended one-time presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam and FIFA vice-president Jack Warner on Sunday, while clearing FIFA president Sepp Blatter of corruption.

The committee, chaired by Namibian Petrus Damaseb, heard bin Hammam, Warner and Blatter during a dramatic day that started with bin Hammam withdrawing from the presidential election in which he was Blatter's sole opponent.

"The FIFA Ethics Committee has reached its decisions," said Blatter in a statement.

"I do not wish to comment in detail. But simply to say that I regret what has happened in the last few days and weeks.

"FIFA's image has suffered a great deal as a result," added the 75-year-old Swiss.

Two members of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester, said to have colluded with Qatari bin Hammam and Warner, were also suspended.

The FIFA presidential election will also go ahead as planned on June 1, announced FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke after the ethics committee revealed its findings, with Blatter standing unopposed.

"Both bin Hammam and Warner were provisionally banned from future activity in football while a full investigation is carried out" announced Damaseb.

"There, they can confront their accusers.

"The critical consideration is to ensure the investigation is not compromised and that is why we have chosen to provisionally suspend them even if we are not here to say whether they are guilty or not guilty."

Damaseb stressed that "the hearing will be fair, and they will have the opportunity to defend themselves".

But Bin Hammam, 62, slammed the outcome as unjust.

"I have been referred to the Ethics Committee based on evidence which was strong enough in the views of the FIFA General Secretary for such procedure," he said in a statement released late on Sunday.

"However, the Ethics Committee in its meeting today did not find this evidence sufficient to convict me.

"Consequently, I should have been given the benefit of doubt but instead, I have been banned from all football activities.

"I have been given the impression that the Ethics Committee is absolutely an independent committee, but in the press conference we have seen today, the General Secretary made clear that he is the one who has the influence in this Committee.

"I'm very disappointed about the way the status of the proceeding has been presented at the media conference. This is not how I understand fair play."

Bin Hammam, Warner and the two CFU officials were summoned to answer corruption allegations but the CFU pair failed to appear despite FIFA offering to fly them in.

Bin Hammam, who was hugely influential in Qatar's surprise victory in the battle to host the 2022 World Cup, and Warner were targeted after Chuck Blazer, general secretary of regional football body CONCACAF, reported possible misdeeds during a May 10 and 11 meeting in Trinidad.

Bin Hammam and Warner were accused of offering $40,000 in cash gifts to national associations at the Trinidad conference in return for pro-bin Hammam votes in the presidential election.

Blatter had been summoned to appear before the ethics committee to answer claims that Warner had told him in advance of alleged payments made at the meeting.

He strongly denied that and his version of events was accepted by the ethics committee.

According to Damaseb, Blatter had not been informed of what had occurred at the meeting, but that Warner had asked his advice ahead of it and Blatter replied that he should not hold such a meeting with the CFU.

Damaseb judged that Blatter was not obliged to report his encounter with Warner.

Despite the controversy, Valcke said there was no question of postponing the presidential election, which will see Blatter win his fourth and final term since he came to power in 1998.

"Why postpone the election? Because the press asked for it to be?" said Valcke.

"There is no reason to do so. I recognise that the timing couldn't be worse, but what happens, happens, that is all.

"So there is only one candidate? I have no problem with that. What is so bad about maintaining June 1 as the election date?

"What is important is the commitment by executive committee members to support political change within FIFA.

"This politics of change was in Mr Blatter's last manifesto, FIFA has never been stronger or as transparent as now."

-AFP

Tags: sport, football, switzerland

First posted May 30, 2011 05:25:00

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Blatter denies FIFA in crisis

Europe Correspondent Rachael Brown, staff

Last Updated: Tue, 31 May 2011 07:45:00 +1000

The head of world football's governing body FIFA has dismissed claims of a crisis in the sport, as he prepares for Wednesday's presidential vote.

With only one candidate in the race, commentators say the vote will be nothing more than a coronation.

Sepp Blatter is set for his fourth term as the most powerful man in world football, after being cleared by FIFA's ethics committee on the weekend.

His former rivals for the top job are being investigated, accused of bribing Caribbean officials for their votes in the FIFA poll.

Facing the media overnight, Mr Blatter has denied FIFA is imploding.

"We are not in a crisis. We are only in some difficulties," he said.

Mr Blatter says he regrets the recent damage caused to FIFA's image, but he says his association has no case to answer regarding claims of impropriety in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids.

Meanwhile, the secretary-general has confirmed he sent a private email suggesting that Qatar bought the right to host the 2022 World Cup.

Jerome Valcke has acknowledged that the email is genuine, but says he had not meant to imply Qatar had engaged in vote-buying.

Qatar has denied any wrongdoing.

Australian Senator Nick Xenophon has demanded FIFA pay the government the $46 million it spent on Australia's bid for the 2022 cup.

He says Australia's bid was never in the running because bribes were being taken for votes.

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Besieged Blatter denies FIFA in crisis

Updated May 31, 2011 09:48:00

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has denied soccer's governing body is in crisis, saying his organisation would solve any "difficulties" internally and that there were no issues with the 2018 or 2022 World Cups.

"Crisis, what is a crisis?" Blatter told a news conference following an executive committee meeting.

"Football is not in a crisis," said Blatter, who is due to stand unopposed for a fourth term as president on Wednesday after his opponent Mohamed bin Hammam withdrew amid cash-for-votes allegations.

"We have just seen a beautiful Champions League final with Barcelona, with fair play.

"Football is in some difficulties and they will be solved inside our family."

FIFA has been dogged by corruption allegations since the vote last year to stage the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar respectively, leading to widespread calls for reform.

But Blatter said there were no issues with either tournament.

"The World Cup in 2018 is not touched by that, neither is the 2022 World Cup in Qatar," he said.

Blatter was cleared of any wrongdoing by an ethics committee meeting which handed out provisional bans to bin Hammam and executive committee member Jack Warner, a long-term Blatter ally. Bin Hammam has stated he will appeal his ban.

Blatter said: "I regret what has happened in the last few days and weeks.

"There has been great damage to the image of FIFA and especially a lot of disappointment for football fans."

He said Wednesday's election could only be cancelled with the approval of 75 per cent of FIFA's congress, which consists of 208 national associations.

"If somebody wants to change something in the election on Wednesday, these are the members of FIFA," he said.

Blatter also said there was no case to answer against four FIFA executive committee members accused of corruption during a British parliamentary hearing this month.

FIFA received a report from the English Football Association concerning the allegations against Ricardo Teixeira, Nicolas Leoz, Jack Warner and Worawi Makudi.

"We can confirm there are no elements in this report which would even report any proceedings, but for the sake of transparency we will agree a comprehensive summary of this report," Blatter said.

He also said there had been no evidence from The Sunday Times newspaper over allegations that Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma had been paid to vote for Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid.

"We have not received any evidence whatsoever from the Sunday Times or from any announced whistleblower with regards to allegations against Hayatou and Anouma, therefore the same," he said.

FIFA sponsor adidas reacted to the controversy.

"Adidas has a very long and successful partnership with FIFA, which we are also looking forward to continue," a spokesman said.

"Having said that, the negative tonality of the public debate surrounding FIFA is neither good for football nor for FIFA and its partners."

-Reuters

Tags: sport, football, switzerland

First posted May 31, 2011 05:48:00

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Crisis, what crisis?: Blatter

Published:Tuesday, May 31, 2011 7:35 AESTExpires:Monday, August 29, 2011 7:35 AEST

FIFA president Sepp Blatter denied soccer's governing body was in crisis before challenging journalists at a press conference in Switzerland.

Tags: law-crime-and-justice, football, switzerland

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Blatter unopposed as FIFA boss

PETER CAVE: In the Swiss city of Zurich the latest twist in the FIFA corruption allegations and the flow on effects on the presidential election have just played out and the winner is, for the moment at least, the current president Sepp Blatter.

Both he and his rival for the top job, Qatari Mohamed bin Hammam, faced a FIFA ethics committee looking at claim and counter claims surrounding the bribery allegations.

But as Europe correspondent Philip Williams reports, it now looks likely Sepp Blatter will be re-elected unopposed on Wednesday.

PHILIP WILLIAMS: The allegation is that Mohamed bin Hammam, in cahoots with Jack Warner and two others, offered bribes of up to $40,000 each to Caribbean Football Union members to support bin Hammam's campaign to win FIFA's presidency.

Mohamed bin Hammam was saying little as he arrived for the ethics committee hearing.

REPORTER: Mr bin Hammam.

MOHAMED BIN HAMMAM: Good morning.

REPORTER: Did you offer cash bribes to any members?

MOHAMED BIN HAMMAM: You have to wait until six o'clock my dear friend.

REPORTER: But did you offer any cash bribes to anyone?

MOHAMED BIN HAMMAM: Six o' clock.

PHILIP WILLIAMS: For hours behind closed doors the evidence was sifted, including a counter claim that Sepp Blatter knew of the allegations but did nothing - itself potentially career killing if proven.

Even before the ethics committee met, Mohamed bin Hammam's campaign for the presidency was over. He withdrew from the race posting a statement on his website that included:

EXTRACT FROM MOHAMED BIN HAMMAM'S STATEMENT: I cannot allow the name that I love to be dragged more and more in the mud because of competition between two individuals. It is for this reason that I announce my withdrawal from the presidential election. I will not put my personal ambition ahead of FIFA's dignity and integrity.

PHILIP WILLIAMS: But his own dignity and integrity were certainly up for discussion before the ethics committee. The result - Sepp Blatter cleared. They accepted his explanation that while he had told him about the bribes, he had advised against them.

But for bin Hammam and three others a bad day was about to get worse.

Ethics committee chairman, Petrus Damaseb.

PETRUS DAMASEB: In the respect of Mr bin Hammam is hereby provisionally banned from taking part in any kind of football related activity at national, international level until the FIFA ethics committee will reach a decision on the merits in this matter.

PHILIP WILLIAMS: There will now be a full investigation into the whole affair but nothing, it appears, will stop the vote for president set down for Wednesday. The only candidate left standing is Sepp Blatter.

Jerome Valcke sees no reason to delay.

JEROME VALCKE: I don't see what, what you can say which is wrong by keeping this election but if you are asking me if I am fine and if I'm happy to see Mr Blatter to be re-elected, yes.

PHILIP WILLIAMS: Already the British sports minister has openly called for a new body to run world football. Today's result may fuel that demand but it will take collective political wills from around the world to make that a reality and so far, while it appears many members are deeply unhappy with the way FIFA is run, not enough are putting their hands up to change it.

This is Philip Williams in London reporting for AM.

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Blatter denies FIFA crisis

Published:Tuesday, May 31, 2011 3:11 AESTExpires:Monday, August 29, 2011 3:11 AEST

FIFA president Sepp Blatter says corruption allegations do not constitute a crisis for soccer's governing body.

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Tags: fraud-and-corporate-crime, world-cup, qatar, switzerland

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