Updated 3.15pm
FIFA PRESIDENT SEPP Blatter has made a bold appearance at the organisation’s conference today, making no move towards a resignation and stating that there is no place for corruption in football.
During his speech, he said FIFA had an opportunity from tomorrow to “find a way forward to fix things”.
He began: “These are unprecedented and difficult times for FIF. The events of yesterday have cast a long shadow over football and over this week’s congress.
Actions of individuals, if proven, bring shame and humiliation on football and demand action and change from us all. We can not allow the reputation of Fifa to be dragged through the mud any longer.
He claimed that “those who are corrupt in football – as in society – are in a minority”.
“There is no place for corruption of any kind,” he added, stating that they all should be found and caught.
The next few months will not be easy for FIFA. I’m sure more bad news may follow. But it is necessary to begin to restore trust in our organisation. Let this be the turning point.
He also moved to wipe his hands clean of any scandal, acknowledging that some people hold him responsible but denying this, claiming he cannot “monitor everyone all of the time”.
Blatter also stressed FIFA will co-operate with all authorities.
Earlier today, Uefa president Michel Platini has called on FIFA’s Sepp Blatter to resign, telling him there have been “too many scandals”.
Speaking after an emergency meeting of football chiefs today, Platini asked FIFA member nations to vote against him in tomorrow’s election.
“I asked him to resign: enough is enough, Sepp. He listened to me but he told me it is too late,” he said.
I say these things with tears in my eyes. I don’t like it this way. But there are just too many scandals.
European footballing nations are due to meet next week to review their relations with FIFA. On the sidelines of the Champions League final they will “raise all possibilities”, he said, but would not be drawn on potential boycotts of competitions.
Power of Putin
Earlier, FIFA received backing from a significant world figure as Vladimir Putin spoke out in support of the embattled organisation.
The United States was meddling in the soccer body’s affairs in an attempt to take the 2018 World Cup away from his country, the Russian President contended.
He said it was “odd” that the probe was launched at the request of US officials, for crimes which don’t involve its citizens, and didn’t happen in the United States.
Yesterday’s pre-dawn arrests of seven soccer officials in Zurich was “yet another evident attempt to derail Mr. Blatter’s re-election as Fifa’s president,” he said.
Putin also added he was aware of “the pressure” on Sepp Blatter for his support of Russia hosting the World Cup.
Other leaders, however, are lining up on the opposite side of the debate.
David Cameron, the British Prime Minister, today called for the soccer boss to quit, the BBC is reporting. The UK premier is also calling for widespread reform of the governing body.
Meanwhile – as the world’s media keeps a close eye on developments at Zurich, Blatter skipped another speaking engagement earlier today.
He had been due to speak at the opening session of FIFA’s medical conference.
However, chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak told delegates that Blatter had to “manage the situation,” after the governing body was rocked by yesterday’s controversy.
Two vice presidents of the organisation were among seven men arrested yesterday at a Zurich hotel. Fifa headquarters was also raided by Swiss federal agencies for a separate probe of the 2018-2022 World Cup bidding contests.
Blatter had stayed out of public view by avoiding three scheduled speeches over the past 24 hours. A statement was issued on behalf of Blatter late yesterday where the president insisted he was determined to root out misconduct.
The president of football’s governing body plans to seek a fifth term at the helm of the organisation in an election tomorrow.
Includes reporting from Sinéad O’Carroll, Associated Press and AFP
“The Aviva Stadium is expected to be at a reduced capacity for the game, in the region of 27,000, although that could change in the event of exceptional demand” surely that’s how it is with moat teams? I’d imagine there will be a lot more of a demand than the 27,000 capacity anyway.
@Dave Murray: I would have thought that certain sections will not be used with restricted capacity, resulting in a smaller staff requirement. If they put all 52k tickets on sale, all sections will have to be available and therefore full match day costs applied.
@Paul Ennis: I get that, just thought it(a little)odd that they would announce a 27,000 capacity restriction before tickets are on sale to the public and see what the demand is etc. But I guess with a short turn around and Easter weekend it could be harder to shift 50,000 tickets and get staff in like you said.
@Dave Murray: EPRC also organising the game rather than Leinster, and they’re shit at running things.
Without being presumptuous – is the semi final
Draw already planned out?
@Daithi Mc Ghiollamhairtin: Yeah. Leinster/Leicester v Toulouse/Sharks and La Rochelle/Salarycens v Exeter/Stormers
@baz dunne: many thanks
@baz dunne: Salarycens hahaha
5 day turnaround with the knock on effect of potential reduced capacity due to the limited timeframe is a great reward for going through as top seed. This is an absolute joke
@Rob Doyle: Your prize for top seed is its at “home” or at least 10mins down the road from it, so be thankful you’re not coming from Welford Rd with a week to plan it!! it does feel too near, be better if a 2 week gap but all the teams that are through are in the same scenario regardless of they seeding. 27k is an average sized rugby stadium, crucially it’s circa 10k more than full RDS capacity, and the fans all know the weekends of the semis well in advance, if not the exact day. I’m not overjoyed by a half full Aviva myself but it is what it is.
Real shame it’s not in a packed RDS, a half full Aviva sucks.
I think we’ll Leinster, Sharks, Stormers, and La Rochelle in the semis.
@Brenda Collins: 3 from URC? they’ll be due an ol restructure soon enough so.