Just barely four days after he was re-elected for an unprecedented fifth term as FIFA President, Sepp Blatter gave a shocking announcement on Tuesday, 2nd May, that he will be stepping down from the helm of the world’s soccer governing body, DailyMail, UK reports.
The long dominant FIFA Chief made his resignation announcement at a hastily organized press conference at the FIFA Headquarters in Zurich. However he will continue to serve at the helm until another extraordinary election is held anytime between December this year and March next year, according to DailyMail, UK.
‘I have been reflecting deeply about my presidency and about the forty years in which my life has been inextricably bound to FIFA and the great sport of football. I cherish FIFA more than anything and I want to do only what is best for FIFA and for football.
‘I felt compelled to stand for re-election, as I believed that this was the best thing for the organisation. That election is over but FIFA’s challenges are not. FIFA needs a profound overhaul.
‘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.
‘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 that election.
‘The next ordinary FIFA Congress will take place on 13 May 2016 in Mexico City. This would create unnecessary delay and I will urge the Executive Committee to organise an Extraordinary Congress for the election of my successor at the earliest opportunity.
‘This will need to be done in line with FIFA’s statutes and we just allow enough time for the best candidates to present themselves and to campaign.
Meanwhile, New York Times reported on Tuesday, 2nd May, just barely a few hours before Sepp Blatter’s official resignation announcement, that his top aide, Jérôme Valcke who is FIFA Secretary General actually transferred $10 million from FIFA’s account to the account of Jack Warner, the key person in the US Justice Department indictment. The transaction took place in 2008 and was said to link to South Africa’s bribery to FIFA to win the bid as host for the 2010 World Cup. New York Times also said that the transaction puts the money trail closer to Mr. Blatter than previously thought.
