Sepp Blatter wins re-election as president of Fifa

[a stoner]

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has been voted in for a fourth term in office.

 

The 75-year-old Swiss was the only candidate in Wednesday's election, with the English and Scottish Football Associations failing to delay the vote.

 

They wanted a postponement amid allegations of corruption within Fifa, but were only supported by 17 of the member associations.

 

Blatter won re-election with 186 votes from the 203 member associations and he will be in charge until 2015.

 

"I thank you for your trust and confidence from the bottom of my heart," said Blatter, who was applauded back into the auditorium by the rest of Fifa congress after his unchallenged victory in Zurich.

 

"Our pyramid is intact, the base, the foundation is strong and together we have four years to continue on our path and do our job.

 

"We will put Fifa's ship back on the right course in clear, transparent waters. We need some time to do it, but we shall do it.

 

"Today something marvellous happened and I'd simply like to tell you I'm deeply moved and honoured. It's a challenge, a new one for me, and I accept it."

 

English FA chairman David Bernstein had put the proposal to Fifa's congress to delay the vote but 172 of 206 voters opted against a delay.

 

Blatter was unopposed because his rival Mohamed Bin Hammam, president of the Asian Football Federation, pulled out after being suspended over bribery allegations.

 

The English and Scottish FAs needed three-quarters of Fifa's congress to back their proposal but received little support, with Wales and Northern Ireland both choosing not to back a delay.

 

In an address to Fifa's congress on Wednesday, Bernstein asked for a delay "to allow time for an additional candidate or candidates to stand and compete in an open and fair election."

 

He added: "Only by doing so will the winner have proper credibility over the next four years."

 

The conclusion to his speech received a noticeably cool reception from the Fifa members in Zurich, with one or two applauding but the rest sitting in silence.

 

The lack of support became even clearer when several Fifa members who followed Bernstein to the podium voiced strong criticism of the FA's stance.

 

"We are ill at ease with people who wield unfounded accusations - he who accuses must provide evidence," said Selemani Omari, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's football federation.

 

"Fifa belongs to 208 national associations and not to one association, we must not seek solutions through the media or a Parliament in any third country."

 

Representatives of Haiti, Benin, Fiji and Cyprus also expressed their disapproval to more enthusiastic applause.

 

Fifa senior vice-president Julio Grondona, alos president of the Argentina FA, delivered a stinging riposte to his English counterparts.

 

"We always have attacks from England which are mostly lies with the support of journalism which is more busy lying than telling the truth," said the Argentine. "This upsets and disturbs the Fifa family.

 

"It looks like England is always complaining so please I say will you leave the Fifa family alone, and when you speak, speak with truth."

 

But Bernstein later released a statement which defended the FA's stance and said they were encouraged by the support they received from other member associations as well as Blatter's speech which followed on from Bernstein's in which he promised to implement changes.

 

"After hearing the speech from Sepp Blatter, we believe the calls we have made for greater transparency and better governance have been worthwhile," said Bernstein.

 

"While we did not succeed in deferring the presidential election, it was positive to be joined by 16 other nations in supporting our democratic request for the vote to be delayed, while a further 17 nations abstaining clearly shows that we are not alone or isolated in our views in relation to the current situation Fifa finds itself in. "

 

The FA had announced before the congress that it would be abstaining from the presidential vote and, even though their actions unsettled many Fifa members, they did receive the backing of the UK government.

 

"We agree with the FA that Fifa should have suspended the presidential election until the investigations had been completed," said a spokesman for Downing Street.

 

"The most important thing is for the public to have confidence in Fifa and for that to happen we need to have Fifa reform."

 

Blatter, who has held his post since 1998, has promised to implement changes at Fifa in the wake of the allegations of corruption as he told the congress he was determined to guide the organisation out of its current troubles.

 

"We have been hit and I personally have been slapped," said the Swiss, who continues to receive plenty of support despite the controversy which has surrounded Fifa.

 

"We have made mistakes and we will learn from this. I can say to a certain extent that this is a good warning, not just to look into our problems and I am willing to face the public anger in order to serve football.

 

"I am the captain weathering the storm, this is a difficult period for Fifa and I admit that readily. Not only is the pyramid shaking but our ship has drawn some water.

 

"We need someone who will accept this responsibility. I'm willing to do this. And reforms will be made not just touch-ups but radical decisions, the necessary reforms.

 

"We must do something because I do not want ever again that we face this undignified situation."

 

Originaly presidential candidate Bin Hammam, along with Concacaf president Jack Warner, was provisionally suspended by Fifa's ethics committee over allegations that financial incentives were offered to Caribbean Football Union (CFU) members. Both have denied any wrongdoing.

 

Bin Hammam has appealed against his ban but was denied entry into the Fifa congress meeting on Wednesday.

 

The controversy over his withdrawal resulted in the English and Scottish FA's action, with allegations of bribery concerning the World Cup bidding process also undermining Fifa.

 

Major sponsors expressed their concern over the damage being done by these allegations, while the president of the German Football Federation, Theo Zwanziger, has called upon the organisation to re-examine the award of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

 

It's a fucking fix.

[redsoxs]

How is it fix? he was the only candidate ;)

[Soup]

He carried a lovely bunch of flower to give has victory speech. You couldn't make it up.

[benite]

Wonder how long he'll last, can't see this shit storm dying down anytime soon

 

Hopefully more evidence will come out against him

[longballs]

[PestiRed]

It's all ok, Sepp is bringing in Henry Kissinger to sort out the Solutions Committee.

 

If satire died when Kissinger was given the Nobel Peace prize, then today it leapt from the grave and hung itself to make sure

[JaminKibbler]

Sepp Blatter congratulates Sepp Blatter on beating Sepp Blatter to become president of FIFA in a close-run race against Sepp Blatter

[Chinandeler Bong]

Blatter: I'm sorry you've had to wait until 7.30pm. But I had to wait two hours to discover the result of the vote.

[sir roger]

Blatter: I'm sorry you've had to wait until 7.30pm. But I had to wait two hours to discover the result of the vote.

 

When he got to the podium & shuffled his notes, somebody from the FA should have shouted ' Come on Sepp, the suspense is fucking killing us '.

[William_Ulsterman]

the sky is blue and water is wet!

[Biscao]

It was the best of possible outcomes. It wasn't realistic to get rid of him at this corner, but he is seriously injured as president of FIFA.

 

I do believe that this is better than Bin Hammam who would basically go on with the same corrupt culture Sepp has encouraged for another 12-16 years. Sepp is now a lame duck president and his fiercest critics have a couple of years to prepare proper reform.

 

And reform is needed. It's borderline insane that Congo, Haiti and Cyprus has more or less the same amount of influence as England, Spain and Italy in FIFA.

 

The best outcome would be if UEFA broke out and invited Argentina and Brazil to join, creating the best possible tournament - Euro + Brazil and Argentina ;)

[Anubis]

The show trial is over. All back to normal now. Life ban for Bin Hammam.

 

 

BBC Sport - Fifa bans Mohamed Bin Hammam for life over attempted bribery claims

[Chocoholic]

But fifa don't run kickabouts down the park. He'll still get a game down there.

[Ian Beales Gut]

He's an appologist for racism and sexism. He'll end up working for Murdoch when he decides to end his dictatorship of FIFA. Has he got a son? Maybe blather junior can continue the corrupt empire when he steps down