Joseph Blatter resigns from the presidency of FIFA a few days before his fifth re-election to lead the world government of football. The convening of a general assembly to elect the replacement was also announced.
The Swiss' decision came due to the corruption scandal that has engulfed the body that governs world football. According to press rumors, Blatter is also under investigation in the United States.
“My mandate doesn't seem to be supported by everyone – acknowledged Blatter, president of Fifa since 1998 -. Fifa's next ordinary congress would take place on May 13, 2016 in Mexico City. This would create unnecessary delays and I will urge the executive committee to organize an extraordinary congress for the election of my successor at the earliest possible opportunity”.
All of this, added Blatter, "will need to be done in accordance with FIFA's statutes and we need to allow sufficient time for the best candidates to show up and campaign."
According to forecasts, the extraordinary congress should take place between December 2015 and March 2016. Sepp Blatter had defeated the Jordanian prince Ali bin al-Hussein and won a fifth term as president of Fifa: the defeated candidate has already announced that he remains available to the associations national teams for the new election to FIFA.
Fifa was rocked last week by a series of arrests on charges of racketeering, fraud and money laundering as part of an American investigation which also led to the indictment of fourteen people.
According to the latest corruption allegations to emerge, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke is allegedly responsible for paying ten million dollars in bribes as part of South Africa's bid to stage the 2010 World Cup.
A separate criminal investigation by the Swiss authorities is seeking to clarify how the 2018 (Russia) and 2022 (Qatar) World Cups are awarded. Blatter, in confirming his candidacy, had expressed the belief that he was "the best option for football"; now, in announcing his resignation, he has explained that he is in Fifa's best interests.
“Since I will not be a candidate and therefore free from the constraints that elections inevitably impose, I will be able to focus on far-reaching and fundamental reforms that transcend our previous efforts,” he added, “for years, we have worked hard to implement administrative reforms, but it is clear to me that these must continue, that they are not enough. The executive committee includes representatives of confederations over which we have no control, but for whose actions FIFA is responsible. We need profound structural changes”.
