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| Sepp Blatter faces media after re-election as Fifa president – live | Sepp Blatter faces media after re-election as Fifa president – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Owen Gibson reports that Fifa looks set to maintain its allocation of places for the next two World Cups, with Europe getting 14 in 2018 and 13 in 2022. | |
| All World Cup slots maintained as they are until 2018/22 according to exco member Juan Napout. That means 14 for Europe in 18 and 13 in 22. | |
| While we wait, a recommendation for you to check out Marina Hyde’s take on the week’s events. By way of an excerpt: | |
| For those of us who’ve been mired in Fifa-watching for years, the most clear and present danger this week was of succumbing to Stendhal syndrome, and passing out at the majesty of it all. It was difficult not to feel a few ecstatic flutters watching footage of Fifa bigwigs being publicly escorted into police cars with hotel staff apparently shielding them with their dirty linen. Or hearing that a certain US-headquartered sportswear company was soon to face some awkward questions. There are just so many tantalising angles yet to be explored. There has barely even been time to begin properly reminding people that Uefa boss and clean-up-man-come-lately Michel Platini voted for Qatar, and was accused of having been given a Picasso by Vladimir Putin. Denied, of course, with lawyers involved, but we look forward to hearing more about him in the weeks and months ahead. | |
| The only thing I’d have done differently would have been to take Diana Ross along on the dawn raid in Zurich. I very much doubt she’s ever got over that calamitous penalty miss during the 1994 World Cup opening ceremony, and it would have been great for the erstwhile Supreme to have just stood in the lobby of the Baur au Lac hotel and let out a primal scream like Stuart Pearce exorcising his 1990 World Cup penalty miss in Euro 96, in the victory over Spain that put England through to the semis. But Diana aside, the FBI have played a blinder. | |
| We’re still waiting for the press conference to begin. You’re not missing anything. | |
| Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, has been quick to congratulate Sepp Blatter on his re-election, sending a telegram with his best wishes. Reuters report a Kremlin statement as saying: | |
| The head of the Russian state expressed confidence that experience, professionalism and high authority will help Blatter in future encourage the spread in the geography and popularity of football in the whole world. | |
| A reminder that the press conference, which is sure to be essential viewing, begins at 10.30am BST. And you can watch it right here: | |
| Our chief sports correspondent, Owen Gibson, is still pounding the streets of Zurich today and he’ll be at Blatter’s upcoming press conference. His take on those comments that have emerged overnight: | |
| Blatter basically suggests British media and US authorities bitter over losing 2018 and 2022 World Cups so driving campaign to get him out. | |
| Blatter questions why arrests weren't made at ex co in March when fewer media in Zurich: “The journalists made a deal: Blatter out.” | |
| As he had said he would should Blatter be re-elected, the FA vice-chairman David Gill has rejected his place on Fifa’s executive committee. In a statement to the Press Association, Gill said: | |
| This action is not something I take lightly but the terribly damaging events of the last three days have convinced me it is not appropriate to be a member of the Fifa executive committee under the current leadership. | |
| I do recognise that Mr Blatter has been democratically elected and wish Fifa every success in tackling the many troubling issues it faces. However, my professional reputation is critical to me and I simply do not see how there will be change for the good of world football while Mr Blatter remains in post. | |
| I will continue to focus on my positions within the FA and Uefa, which I take seriously and am privileged to hold. | |
| Welcome to Saturday’s Fifa liveblog, as newly re-elected president Sepp Blatter prepares to face the media in Zurich. The press conference is due to take place at 10.30am BST, 11.30am local time. He’s been busy already, mind, having spoken to Swiss television channel RTS to decry the conduct of US authorities and bemoan a European campaign of ‘hate’. Some of the key elements: | Welcome to Saturday’s Fifa liveblog, as newly re-elected president Sepp Blatter prepares to face the media in Zurich. The press conference is due to take place at 10.30am BST, 11.30am local time. He’s been busy already, mind, having spoken to Swiss television channel RTS to decry the conduct of US authorities and bemoan a European campaign of ‘hate’. Some of the key elements: |