Blatter hits back at critics after FIFA re-election

Sepp Blatter has turned on his critics following his re-election as head of football’s world governing body for a fifth term.

FIFA’s president denounced what he called a “hate” campaign against him emanating from Europe’s body UEFA.

And the 79-year-old questioned the timing of arrests of leading football officials in Zurich during the week.

At a news conference in Zurich on Saturday morning Blatter responded to the corruption investigations – where US authorities are examining allegations dating back over two decades, and the Swiss are looking into the bids for the next two World Cups.

“I assume the responsibility of putting the FIFA ship back into calmer waters and in the end bringing about a calm and joyful situation with FIFA robust and beautiful,” he said.

Blatter also suggested the arrests of seven top officials in Switzerland this week were an attempt to interfere with FIFA’s congress.

Something “didn’t smell right”, he added.

He had already noted that his strongest critics came from countries like the US which had lost out on World Cup bids.
“The high point was a large police swoop at six o’clock in the morning in a big hotel in Zurich – and curiously at that moment three American journalists were already present.”

Blatter’s comments appeared to contradict his stance earlier in the week when he said he welcomed the actions of the US and Swiss authorities.

However, FIFA is not without friends even in Europe. Although UEFA’s President, Frenchman Michel Platini, had called for Blatter to stand down, the head of the French Football Federation Noël Le Graët was among those who voted for the FIFA veteran. “I think that Western Europe has let rip a bit too much, in my opinion, against Blatter,” he told L’Equipe newspaper. “Unless there’s proof to the contrary, in the cases we’re talking about money was not taken out of FIFA’s coffers.”

The American investigation has seen 14 people indicted on corruption charges for amounts totalling $150m (135 million euros). Seven senior FIFA officials were arrested in Switzerland. Another two are under investigation, as well as five marketing executives. They are accused of bribery, racketeering and money-laundering dating back to 1991.

Setting out the charges earlier in the week, US Attorney General Loretta Lynch described corruption in football as “rampant, systemic and deep-rooted both abroad and here in the United States”.

Separately, a criminal investigation has been launched by Swiss authorities into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. It is at an early stage and has mentioned FIFA as the “victim”. The inquiry is expected to focus on individuals accused of money laundering, offences which carry potential prison terms.

SOURCE: euronews