Sepp Blatter has warned that Fifa could disappear down a 'black hole' if he is replaced as president.
Fifa president confident he will win June election
Sepp Blatter has warned that Fifa could disappear down a 'black hole' if he is replaced as president.
The long-standing head of world football's governing body is set go up against Qatar's Mohamed Bin Hamman in June's presidential election.
Swiss Blatter is bidding for a fourth term at the helm and believes he remains the stand-out candidate for the role.
He has spoken out against the claims of his opponent, suggesting that football would descend into chaos without his leadership.
Blatter said: "The Fifa presidential election is not about candidate A or candidate B, it is about whether there will be any candidates at all in future. The ballot on 1st June could lead to a seismic shift with irreversible damage.
"Quite simply, the survival of Fifa is at stake. It is a question of whether the game's established world governing body will continue to exist after this date or whether it will disappear into a black hole."
Dramatic
Blatter is the favourite to retain his lofty standing at Fifa, as he has a number of high-profile backers.
He added: "Is it that dramatic, you may ask. The answer is, theoretically, yes, it is.
"I am confident that I will win the election with a clear two-thirds majority. South America, Central and North America, Europe, Oceania and a significant part of Africa and Asia will continue to support my ideas. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile outlining what the alternative would be, i.e. none at all."
Blatter went on to say: "What applies for every carpenter also applies for us: the roof will only hold as long as the foundations are in place.
"If the ground beneath crumbles, the entire edifice will collapse. And that is precisely what is at stake on 1st June. All or nothing!"
