A cynical person might assume that the FIFA corruption investigation must have unearthed something pretty big on Sepp Blatter, but we don’t have a cynical bone in our bodies, so we’ll just go ahead and say that overnight, the 79-year-old announced his surprise resignation as president of football’s governing body.
Blatter was elected to a fifth term as president on Friday, in the same week that seven high-ranking FIFA officials were arrested in Switzerland in relation to the bribery and corruption investigation. In his remarks, Blatter said that a new election would be called, and that FIFA is in need of a “profound restructuring.”
“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 as much as we all do at Fifa,” he said. “Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective congress.”
Shortly before Blatter’s resignation, John Oliver, who has been on the FIFA scandal like a terrier since day one, offered an update on the situation, in which he called for sponsors to abandon the organisation.
After the arrests of numerous top officials, John Oliver gave an update on the state of FIFA.
Posted by Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on Monday, June 1, 2015
Jordanian Prince Ali bin al Hussein, who stood against Blatter in the last election, will reportedly stand for president again in the next round of voting. FFA chairman Frank Lowy has thrown support behind the prince, saying that his candidacy represents urgently-needed reforms in the sport. More to come.
via News Limited
Photo: Valeriano di Domenico via Getty Images
Photo: Valeriano di Domenico via Getty Images
