FIFA corruption row: Sepp Blatter to address UEFA delegates on Tuesday
Tuesday 10 June 2014 13:56, UK
FIFA president Sepp Blatter is expected to address UEFA delegates on Tuesday evening, a speech that will be met with intrigue following an extraordinary backlash against the British media on Monday.
Blatter claimed that allegations of corruption regarding Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid, reported by the Sunday Times earlier this month, are motivated by “racism and discrimination”.
The Swiss, who has controlled the game’s governing body since 1998, told the Confederations of African and Asian Football that these media reports are a "storm against FIFA" that hurts him.
FIFA has been quick to point out that Blatter did not directly call the British media “racist”, but they are not denying he used that word in relation to those allegations.
His off-camera comments are believed to have raised eyebrows at the UEFA hotel, with many senior figures from the game very surprised by his comments. One official said: “Why did he say it? He didn’t need to.”
But Blatter went on to use the speech as an opportunity to gather support for an expected announcement that he will stand for a fifth term as FIFA president, gaining a subsequent standing ovation from the Asian confederation.
Echoing his speech to the CAF earlier in the day, Blatter said to the AFC: “My mandate finishes in 2015 but I have decided my mission has not ended. I still have fire inside me.”
As the room took to its feet to applaud him, Blatter added: “I understood you’re saying 'yes’. I trust you.”
Blatter, 78, is expected to make his announcement for re-election at the FIFA congress on Wednesday.
The congress will be surrounded with an air of nervousness, however, with uncertainty remaining over the World Cup opener between Brazil and Croatia on Thursday.
FIFA says it has been reassured by Brazil’s organisers that the Arena Corinthians will be ready in time but they do not know how it will cope with tens of thousands of supporters. It has not yet been tested at full capacity.
There is also concern about anti-government protesters targeting World Cup games.
