Sepp Blatter says 40 years at FIFA is his manifesto
FIFA president Sepp Blatter faces three challengers in an election to
be held on May 28-29 at a congress in Zurich. While favourite to win,
Blatter refused to say what he would do if returned for a fifth term.
Zurich: FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Friday he is campaigning for
reelection based on his 40 years in football's governing body and he
would not release a manifesto.
The 79-year-old Swiss officials faces three challengers in an
election to be held on May 28-29 at a congress in Zurich. While
favourite to win, Blatter refused to say what he would do if returned
for a fifth term."My manifesto is the work I have done in the last years
at FIFA. I am now 40 years in FIFA.
I am 17 years the president of FIFA, this is my manifesto," he told a
press conference.Pressed about his intentions, the FIFA leader said: "I
am the FIFA president until May 29, until the last item on the Congress
agenda, which is called the election of the president."
I have been asked by national associations in all the six
confederations to be a candidate, they put me as a candidate.
But I am still the FIFA president, I am not campaigning. I am doing
my job as FIFA president and I will do until the last day of my
mandate." Blatter has turned down offers of a televised debate with his
rivals, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, a FIFA vice-president from Jordan,
Dutch football federation president Michael van Praag and former
Portugal international Luis Figo.But all four will speak at the UEFA
European confederation congress in Vienna on Monday and
Tuesday.Blatter's rivals say that FIFA needs a radical change of
direction following multiple controversies over the awarding of the 2022
World Cup to Qatar.
The FIFA president has said he needs a fifth term to "finish my
mission" at the world body which on Friday announced revenues over the
past year of $5.7 billion and a cash reserve of $1.52 billion. |