BY TIM PARSONS
Newly elected president, Sepp Blatter has resigned after finally accepting his position is untenable in light of the recent scandal to hit his organisation. The beleaguered 79 year old admitted he no longer has the support to continue in his role as president. His decision comes amidst several calls for him to step down in the wake of the shameful list of football lords arrested by the US Ministry of justice for money laundering and fraud dating back over two decades.
Blatter had initially been defiant to wide calls for his immediate resignation, but those calls may have reached a peak when the Duke of Wales Prince William recently approved them by commending the decision of David Gill, the former Man U chief executive, to distance himself from the FIFA administration. In a statement released, Blatter said: ”I felt compelled to stand for re-election as I believed this to be right for the organisation. That election is over but our challenges are not. FIFA needs a profound overhaul”, he said. “While I have a mandate from the membership of FIFA, I do not feel I have a mandate from the world of football, the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who love football as much as we do”.
His decision to step down has received wide approval from sponsors, the mainstream media, and the football world alike. Former Manchester United Chief executive, David Gill, who resigned yesterday, said in a statement that Blatter’s decision to step down enables him to re-consider his position, as he ”could not countenance” working on FIFA’s executive Committee alongside Blatter. The resignation of the President, who for 17 years has been in charge of an organisation dogged with corruption scandals is a positive move that may finally indicate change. Only yesterday, his daughter had openly declared her father to be the victim of a ”behind the scenes conspiracy”- a claim clearly overlooked by Blatter who on his own decision decided to call it a day.
FIFA now have until next year to re-elect a new president because the next FIFA Congress will take place on 13th of May, 2016. Blatter said ”this would be an unnecessary delay and I will urge the executive Committee to organise an ordinary congress for election of my successor at the earliest opportunity. This will need to be done in line with FIFA’s statutes and must allow enough time for the best candidate to present themselves and to campaign”.
We can all hope the new president will bring the much needed discipline and integrity to the sport, and learn the important lessons to be learnt from the heavily undignified mock uncovered and exposed in the last few days.
