FIFA President Sepp Blatter said corruption scandals that rocked the world soccer organization have brought “shame and humiliation” on the sport.
“The next few months will not be easy for FIFA. I am sure more bad news will follow but it is necessary to begin to restore trust,” Blatter said, speaking publicly for the first time since U.S. and Swiss officials unveiled major corruption investigations of the organization and seven high-ranking current and former FIFA officials were arrested Wednesday.
Blatter, 79, who spoke at the opening of the FIFA Congress in Zurich, said, “Actions of individuals, if proven, bring shame and humiliation and demand action and change from us all. We cannot allow the reputation of football and FIFA to be dragged through the mud any longer. It has to stop here and now.”
“I know many people hold me ultimately responsible for the actions and reputation for the global football community,” Blatter said, adding, “I cannot monitor everyone all of the time. If people want to do wrong, they will also try to hide it.
“But it must fall to me to be responsible for the reputation and well-being of our organization and to find a way forward to fix things,” he said.
The president of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), French football legend Michel Platini, spoke openly about the FIFA scandal and took issue with Blatter’s refusal to resign.
“We went to his office and I renewed my advice to him to go and that he should resign,” Platini said. “That he should realize the moment was not a good one and to have the courage, honesty and grandeur to realize that it wasn’t good.”
According to Platini, Blatter refused, arguing that it was too late, since the electing congress was about to start.
The German Football Association (DFB) has also demanded Blatter’s resignation, citing the credibility issue with him.
“It is time for a change, definitely, and that it is not a question of whether Blatter is guilty or not guilty,” DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach said. “It is time for change because we need FIFA as an institution with credibility and that is difficult, maybe impossible without a change at the top,” he added.
Blatter rejected their demands.
Also, sponsors are calling for football’s governing body FIFA to make changes while its regional federations debate the future of its often-criticized leader.
Credit card company Visa made the strongest statement after the U.S. Justice Department unveiled an indictment Wednesday charging 14 people with offenses that include racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering.
Source-VOA
