Re-elected Blatter pledges to restore credibility

Even in his wildest dreams, Sepp Blatter could not have imagined that he would be swept back to power on such a tidal wave of popular support.

The 66-year-old Swiss lawyer maintained his position as FIFA president, the most powerful man in world football, but his election victory raises serious questions about the future of the organisation.

His opponents in what has been a bitterly-fought battle can only hope that he takes heed of their warnings of looming financial catastrophe, and heals divisions within FIFA by changing his dictatorial management style.

The danger is that in crushing opponent Issa Hayatou by 139 votes to 56 at FIFA’s ordinary congress, Blatter will view this overwhelming victory as a mandate to carry on regardless.

But, as Hayatou’s backers slunk into the Seoul night with tails lodged firmly between their legs, Blatter did promise a new order.

Whether that is a fresh, more open approach or merely a clear-out of his opponents within the organisation remains to be seen.

Blatter said: ‘‘Give me 100 days, the famous 100 days, and I will come back with concrete proposals, and I will start to present structural changes within FIFA.

‘‘I will come up with a paper demonstrating how I think we can go about restoring our credibility.

‘‘It depends also on the behaviour and the will and the fair play of those who in past times have not been so kind to me.’’

Blatter, first elected in 1998, will serve at least another four years.

Hayatou, from Cameroon, had campaigned on a platform promising more openness and accountability within FIFA, but failed to win over enough supporters from the 197 national associations who could vote.

The scale of Blatter’s victory surprised everyone, though one South American delegate pointed to the fact that the incumbent president was viewed as the better of two poor options.

He said: ‘‘Neither is perfect but with Sepp Blatter you at least have certain guarantees. Hayatou wanted to take away one of our five qualifying places so of course South America voted for Blatter en bloc.’’

After achieving the two-thirds majority necessary to win in the first round of voting, Blatter told delegates: ‘‘I register your deep trust in FIFA and in me.

‘‘You cannot imagine what it means for me, having during the last few months been accused by a certain directed press saying what a bad man I am.’’

Blatter won despite concerted efforts by Hayatou’s backers to damage his position. During the last three months, he has been accused of financial mismanagement, paying cash for votes and making unauthorised payments.

There has also been criticism of the team of advisers he has appointed around him, with claims the so-called ’parallel organisation’ has undermined FIFA officials, notably general secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen.

Some charges remain hanging over him - he is being investigated by Swiss prosecutors for a start - but Blatter promised to bury his differences with FIFA’s executive committee, from where much of the criticism of his activities has come.

He said: ‘‘Let us now work together and forget what has happened in the past months. FIFA should be united and we have to restore our unity and by doing that restore our credibility.

‘‘I believe in the family of football and I have to restore peace and I will do it.’’

Among those who have been vociferous were the English FA, and chief executive Adam Crozier delivered a powerful speech to the congress saying FIFA’s credibility had been severely damaged by recent events and warned of a looming crisis in its finances.

After the election result FA chairman Geoff Thompson waved away the possibility of English football being forced to pay a price in the future for such public opposition.

He told PA: ‘‘I think any organisation, in particular a democratic organisation, will have differing views and those have got to be respected - just as the election result has to be respected.

‘‘What we really wanted is for the internal audit committee, which was suspended by the president in April, to be allowed to continue their investigation of FIFA’s finances to continue and that has been agreed. We now need to wait and see the results of their work.

‘‘All we can hope is that things change. You cannot have a dictatorship in what is supposed to be a democracy.

‘‘The president said he wants to unite not only the congress but the executive committee, and no one can be satisfied with what has gone on over the last couple of days, least of all the president.’’

Hayatou himself pronounced himself pleased with the result, though in reality it could hardly have been more disappointing.

He said: ‘‘The president can count on me as he has in the past, so he can work as a president should.

‘‘I am really satisfied, I am very pleased with the outcome of this election; 56 votes in my opinion is not the result of a loser.’’