Sepp Blatter will step down as president of FIFA just four days after being re-elected for the fifth time as the head of football’s governing body. He had been in charge of the organisation for the past 17 years.
There was heavy pressure for the 79-year-old to leave his position after a recent FBI investigation and a number of FIFA officials being arrested on allegations of corruptions, bribery and kick-backs.
The veteran Swiss official has stated that a FIFA congress will be held as soon as possible, where Blatter’s successor will be chosen.
At an emergency press conference Blatter stated: “I will organise an extraordinary congress for a replacement for me as president and I will not stand.
“While I have a mandate from the membership of FIFA, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football – the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and love football.
“Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective congress. I will continue to exercise my functions as FIFA president until then and I will urge the executive committee to organise that at the earliest opportunity.”
The move is likely to lead to celebration within the football community. This could be a chance for FIFA as an organisation to enjoy a fresh start. It is likely to help FIFA clean up its act, as Blatter is now regarded as the face of a corrupt organisation.
Hopefully now FIFA can move forward from the scandal and become stronger, because basically since its inception the organisation has had to suffer unproven allegations of corruption.
Sepp Blatter leaving his position as president was the only way that FIFA could improve its image on a globe scale.
The Swiss veteran may have made some bad decisions in the past, but he now looks tp have made the best decision of his career as a FIFA president.
The likes of Blatter’s challenger Prince Ali Bin al Hussein and former-football stars David Ginola and Luis Figo could run in the new election, after both had pull out of the last campaign.
Whoever gets the job will have a big task on their hands cleaning up the mess that is FIFA, but at least they will start with a clean slate and no scandal behind them. Good luck whoever takes the job, you are going to need it.
Was Sepp Blatter right to leave his role as FIFA president?
