Statement by Sepp Blatter on Tuesday announcing he would be stepping down as president of world football's governing body FIFA:
"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 must allow enough time for the best candidates to present themselves
and to campaign.
Since I shall not be a candidate, and
am therefore now free from the constraints that elections inevitably
impose, I shall be able to focus on driving far-reaching, fundamental
reforms that transcend our previous efforts. For years, we have worked
hard to put in place administrative reforms, but it is plain to me that
while these must continue, they are not enough.
The
Executive Committee includes representatives of confederations over whom
we have no control, but for whose actions FIFA is held responsible. We
need deep-rooted structural change.
The size of the
Executive Committee must be reduced and its members should be elected
through the FIFA Congress. The integrity checks for all Executive
Committee members must be organised centrally through FIFA and not
through the confederations. We need term limits not only for the
president but for all members of the Executive Committee.
I have fought for these changes before and, as everyone knows, my efforts have been blocked. This time, I will succeed.
I
cannot do this alone. I have asked Domenico Scala to oversee the
introduction and implementation of these and other measures. Mr. Scala
is the Independent Chairman of our Audit and Compliance Committee
elected by the FIFA Congress. He is also the Chairman of the ad hoc
Electoral Committee and, as such, he will oversee the election of my
successor. Mr. Scala enjoys the confidence of a wide range of
constituents within and outside of FIFA and has all the knowledge and
experience necessary to help tackle these major reforms.
It
is my deep care for FIFA and its interests, which I hold very dear,
that has led me to take this decision. I would like to thank those who
have always supported me in a constructive and loyal manner as President
of FIFA and who have done so much for the game that we all love. What
matters to me more than anything is that when all of this is over,
football is the winner."