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| Sepp Blatter comes out fighting after re-election as Fifa president – live | Sepp Blatter comes out fighting after re-election as Fifa president – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| From our US office, DJ Gallo writes – to a USA! USA! USA! soundtrack – about this week’s battles between Team America and Fifa, and wonders: did the US accidentally make itself popular? | |
| While the rest of the world has been busy enjoying the beautiful game, mostly ignoring the ugly corruption in the sport’s governing body as long as there was good soccer to watch, US authorities were unraveling a 24-year scheme of bribes and self-enrichment. Fifa’s grafters probably thought the US was too dumb to take them down. I mean, just three years after the corruption allegedly began, US Soccer willingly wore denim uniforms in public. That seems pretty dumb. But just add that to Fifa’s list of humiliations: they’ve been done in by blue jeans-wearing cowboys who think a “football” is an oblong ball best carried or thrown through the air. | |
| America’s return to international awesomeness didn’t stop with spiking the football on Fifa. As an extra favor to the world, we also pissed off Vladimir Putin. The President of Russia and King of Shirtless Horse Riding said, via the Kremlin’s website: “These officers are not United States’ citizens, and if anything did happen, it did not happen on the territory of the United States and the USA have nothing to do with it. This is yet another obvious attempt to spread their jurisdiction to other states.” | |
| Getting Putin of all people to whine about international overreach? That’s icing on America’s delicious, high fructose corn syrup-infused cake. Russian state media followed Putin’s lead by creating TV graphics suggesting crazed American bald eagles are hell-bent on destroying soccer– and possibly the world. | |
| Some reaction from the members of the media in attendance: | Some reaction from the members of the media in attendance: |
| Sepp Blatter faced media questions for 18 minutes. FIFA has now ended news conference amid shouting from other journalists. #SSNHQ | Sepp Blatter faced media questions for 18 minutes. FIFA has now ended news conference amid shouting from other journalists. #SSNHQ |
| Interesting Blatter pretty much only took questions from British media - allows him to claim there's an agenda? @JamilChade not pleased! | Interesting Blatter pretty much only took questions from British media - allows him to claim there's an agenda? @JamilChade not pleased! |
| And this isn’t much of a surprise … | And this isn’t much of a surprise … |
| This guy failed to get into Blatter's press conference. Serial prankster Simon Brodkin (AKA Lee Nelson). pic.twitter.com/JJtxOzGQiH | This guy failed to get into Blatter's press conference. Serial prankster Simon Brodkin (AKA Lee Nelson). pic.twitter.com/JJtxOzGQiH |
| No surprises from that Blatter display, with the usual mixture of self-promotion, sniping and straight batting in the face of his interrogation, primarily from the western media. Some of the key points re: Blatter: | No surprises from that Blatter display, with the usual mixture of self-promotion, sniping and straight batting in the face of his interrogation, primarily from the western media. Some of the key points re: Blatter: |
| Final question, then, and Blatter is interrogated as to why he has failed to take action against a number of corrupt officials. He launches into a pre-planned speech, discussing Uefa, his transparent innocence and even a barb at David Gill: | Final question, then, and Blatter is interrogated as to why he has failed to take action against a number of corrupt officials. He launches into a pre-planned speech, discussing Uefa, his transparent innocence and even a barb at David Gill: |
| He's back onto another familiar riff - blaming Uefa for reform agenda being watered down. | He's back onto another familiar riff - blaming Uefa for reform agenda being watered down. |
| We're in Ministry of Truth territory - loads of our people have been caught for dodgy behavior, therefore we're not corrupt. | We're in Ministry of Truth territory - loads of our people have been caught for dodgy behavior, therefore we're not corrupt. |
| Ends with a pop at Gill: "You can't take responsibility when you are elected and don't come to the first meeting." | Ends with a pop at Gill: "You can't take responsibility when you are elected and don't come to the first meeting." |
| And it ends with a promise: | And it ends with a promise: |
| We will be more communicative in future, and we will give more information. | We will be more communicative in future, and we will give more information. |
| Jérôme Valcke says we’re down to the last two questions. First up, Blatter asked if he worries about sponsors: | Jérôme Valcke says we’re down to the last two questions. First up, Blatter asked if he worries about sponsors: |
| We have already had contact with the sponsors after the revelations … we have exchanged letters … and the contact with our partners, I am sure I will bring them all back with a personal visit to them. | We have already had contact with the sponsors after the revelations … we have exchanged letters … and the contact with our partners, I am sure I will bring them all back with a personal visit to them. |
| Blatter reveals will make personal visit to sponsors after their criticism: clearly their concerns have shaken him | Blatter reveals will make personal visit to sponsors after their criticism: clearly their concerns have shaken him |
| Owen Gibson then asks Blatter directly about the culture of Fifa and his tenure being mired by corruption, and whether he has fostered this: | Owen Gibson then asks Blatter directly about the culture of Fifa and his tenure being mired by corruption, and whether he has fostered this: |
| Definitely not. We try, always, and in my tenure of office during these years to eliminate all these elements. If you go backwards, you will see how many members have left Fifa, either by themselves or they have been investigated by our committees. | Definitely not. We try, always, and in my tenure of office during these years to eliminate all these elements. If you go backwards, you will see how many members have left Fifa, either by themselves or they have been investigated by our committees. |
| Trademark. | Trademark. |
| Blatter refuses to accept that he is responsible for Fifa's culture of corruption. Says its committees have banned lots of individuals. | Blatter refuses to accept that he is responsible for Fifa's culture of corruption. Says its committees have banned lots of individuals. |
| The question comes in: “Are you worried you’ll be arrested?” Blatter: “Arrested for what.” | The question comes in: “Are you worried you’ll be arrested?” Blatter: “Arrested for what.” |
| It’s as one-sided a press conference as you would imagine, but Blatter remains calm in the face of questioning. Now, when asked about the US authorities’ suggestion that there is far more to come, in terms of their investigation, he replies: | It’s as one-sided a press conference as you would imagine, but Blatter remains calm in the face of questioning. Now, when asked about the US authorities’ suggestion that there is far more to come, in terms of their investigation, he replies: |
| The Americans are making investigations … they have right to do so. I have no concerns, I especially have no concerns about my person. | The Americans are making investigations … they have right to do so. I have no concerns, I especially have no concerns about my person. |
| On we go. | On we go. |
| Blatter asked about $10m bribe: "If such a thing is somewhere in investigations, let the investigation go. Definitely, that's not me." | Blatter asked about $10m bribe: "If such a thing is somewhere in investigations, let the investigation go. Definitely, that's not me." |
| This is a textbook Blatter display thus far, as everyone would have expected. | This is a textbook Blatter display thus far, as everyone would have expected. |
| Asked about David Gill’s decision not to serve under him, he deadbats it again: | Asked about David Gill’s decision not to serve under him, he deadbats it again: |
| I don’t know exactly what the projects of David Gill are, he has written no excuse for his absence from the executive committee. | I don’t know exactly what the projects of David Gill are, he has written no excuse for his absence from the executive committee. |
| On the charge sheet facing him on his watch, Blatter is asked why he has not resigned: | On the charge sheet facing him on his watch, Blatter is asked why he has not resigned: |
| It is very easy, you have seen the results of the Congress and they think that I am still the man to solve these problems. | It is very easy, you have seen the results of the Congress and they think that I am still the man to solve these problems. |
| Blatter is asked what impact the past week’s events will have to US chances of a bid for the 2026 World Cup. | Blatter is asked what impact the past week’s events will have to US chances of a bid for the 2026 World Cup. |
| I am the president of everybody and those associations that have been against me, so they will have no impact, in my view. When it comes to personal attacks, I say yes, I was affected. | I am the president of everybody and those associations that have been against me, so they will have no impact, in my view. When it comes to personal attacks, I say yes, I was affected. |
| I am here as president of Fifa, I will continue my work, I will continue to fight for good things and, as I said, it is now my duty to live up to a lot of responsibilities. But I am not alone. The executive committee has said it is with me. | I am here as president of Fifa, I will continue my work, I will continue to fight for good things and, as I said, it is now my duty to live up to a lot of responsibilities. But I am not alone. The executive committee has said it is with me. |
| And now the questions are thrown to the floor. | And now the questions are thrown to the floor. |
| Blatter confirms what Owen Gibson reported earlier regarding the allocation of World Cup places remaining the same. On the ExCo’s reaction to the news: | Blatter confirms what Owen Gibson reported earlier regarding the allocation of World Cup places remaining the same. On the ExCo’s reaction to the news: |
| Some were more grumpy than others. | Some were more grumpy than others. |
| Now Blatter re-visits his criticism of the US authorities after their raids earlier in the week: | Now Blatter re-visits his criticism of the US authorities after their raids earlier in the week: |
| All these events culminating in the police storming a hotel and, curiously there were already three American journalists at the location … | All these events culminating in the police storming a hotel and, curiously there were already three American journalists at the location … |
| Fifa corruption will be a thing of the past, says Blatter. Rattles off a list of committees that will allow them to "avoid surprises". | Fifa corruption will be a thing of the past, says Blatter. Rattles off a list of committees that will allow them to "avoid surprises". |
| The Times’ Oliver Kay has long argued that Blatter’s ultimate dream is the Nobel Prize, previously saying: “His priorities these days seem to be self-interest, self-preservation and self-aggrandisement. His one remaining ambition is to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Seriously, it is. This is no laughing matter.” And Blatter’s talk about Israel and Palestine suggests likewise: | The Times’ Oliver Kay has long argued that Blatter’s ultimate dream is the Nobel Prize, previously saying: “His priorities these days seem to be self-interest, self-preservation and self-aggrandisement. His one remaining ambition is to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Seriously, it is. This is no laughing matter.” And Blatter’s talk about Israel and Palestine suggests likewise: |
| Maybe football can be the precursor to the solution everyone wants. | Maybe football can be the precursor to the solution everyone wants. |
| And then: | And then: |
| Now Blatter is talking about how Fifa helped stop the spread of ebola. | Now Blatter is talking about how Fifa helped stop the spread of ebola. |
| More stuff about boats and calmer waters from Sepp. Now onto his attempts to position himself as a peacemaker between Israel and Palestine. | More stuff about boats and calmer waters from Sepp. Now onto his attempts to position himself as a peacemaker between Israel and Palestine. |
| Blatter opens up: | Blatter opens up: |
| I’ll take responsibility with the storm but I will share it with the executive committee because it’s the government that has to take responsiblity. | I’ll take responsibility with the storm but I will share it with the executive committee because it’s the government that has to take responsiblity. |
| And then back to the boating references … | And then back to the boating references … |
| We will take our boat back into calmer water and take the Fifa ship into tranquility and happiness. | We will take our boat back into calmer water and take the Fifa ship into tranquility and happiness. |
| Here we go, then. | Here we go, then. |
| The latest delay gives me an opportunity to flag up Barney Ronay’s colour piece from Zurich on Friday evening: | The latest delay gives me an opportunity to flag up Barney Ronay’s colour piece from Zurich on Friday evening: |
| Even by Fifa standards this was a bizarre and indeed rather disorientating day. Not only is Blatter back, re-elected by a concession on the second round of voting. He is apparently back as a reform candidate, here to root out the corruption, wire fraud and racketeering that afflicted the world’s most lucratively beleaguered sport during the reign of his long-term predecessor, who also happens to have been Sepp Blatter. “We cannot let this go on!” – Blatter announced at one point during his gorgeously, almost sensuously deluded stump speech. And yet, here it is all the same. Still very much going on. | Even by Fifa standards this was a bizarre and indeed rather disorientating day. Not only is Blatter back, re-elected by a concession on the second round of voting. He is apparently back as a reform candidate, here to root out the corruption, wire fraud and racketeering that afflicted the world’s most lucratively beleaguered sport during the reign of his long-term predecessor, who also happens to have been Sepp Blatter. “We cannot let this go on!” – Blatter announced at one point during his gorgeously, almost sensuously deluded stump speech. And yet, here it is all the same. Still very much going on. |
| Even in the late-breaking tension of the second vote there was a sense of something massaged, as the gathered Fifa wonks pondered their piles of blue card, muttering behind their hands, brooding over clipboards, and almost apologetically signing off on a ballot that brought Blatter to 133 votes, seven short of a first round knockout. | Even in the late-breaking tension of the second vote there was a sense of something massaged, as the gathered Fifa wonks pondered their piles of blue card, muttering behind their hands, brooding over clipboards, and almost apologetically signing off on a ballot that brought Blatter to 133 votes, seven short of a first round knockout. |
| It sounds like we are just about ready to get this thing started. Again, if you want to watch, the livestream from Zurich is embedded at the top of this article. Oh, there’s another short delay, due to sound bother. | It sounds like we are just about ready to get this thing started. Again, if you want to watch, the livestream from Zurich is embedded at the top of this article. Oh, there’s another short delay, due to sound bother. |
| Fifa press conference delayed, apparently to fix a "sound problem". | Fifa press conference delayed, apparently to fix a "sound problem". |
| 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. | 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. | 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: | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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: | 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. | 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: | 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: | 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 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.” | 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: | 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. | 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 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. | 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: |