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30.05.2015 Sports News

Blatter re-elected as FIFA president amidst corruption scandal

By Daily Guide
Blatter re-elected as FIFA president amidst corruption scandal
30.05.2015 LISTEN

Sepp Blatter
FIFA President Sepp Blatter has been re-elected to lead the World football organisation for the fifth time running.

His main contender Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein withdrew from the race after he failed to gunner enough votes to beat Blatter in the first round of voting.

The Swiss will continue to lead world football’s governing body into his eighties after winning by a majority of 133 to 73 in the first round of the vote at the FIFA Congress in Zurich.

Blatter was just seven short of a majority and his opponent, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein decided to withdraw before the second round.

Despite 73 member associations throwing their support behind Blatter’s sole opponent Prince Ali, there will be no change at the top of the embattled organisation.

It means Blatter, 79, will remain at the helm as authorities in the United States lead an investigation into endemic racketeering, bribery and money laundering involving leading FIFA officials going back decades.

The result also significantly increases the prospect of European nations boycotting future World Cups, as mooted by president Michel Platini on Thursday.

Blatter, who has been in charge since 1998, said he would ‘shoulder the responsibility’ of dealing with the ‘storm’ that has rocked FIFA this week.

He vowed to fix the damaged governing body and ‘hand over a strong FIFA’ at the end of his final four years in office.

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