By Mark Baber
August 11 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter called upon his critics to take him on for FIFA’s presidency in next year’s elections. Though almost immediately followed this up by saying he was not officially announcing he would be a candidate, yet.
Speaking at a press conference in his home canton of Valais he challenged rivals to take the election risk, also saying that to be criticised as president of FIFA comes with the job.
Blatter, who will almost certainly be running for a fifth term as FIFA president, said: “If I were not criticised, I would not have any value. People who say I should not be a candidate or I should not get elected, they can take the risk to be in an election. I took the risk in 1998.”
In words that have been interpreted as directed to UEFA president Michel Platini, Blatter advised those thinking of standing against him, “If you never take the risk, you will never have a chance.”
Blatter teased potential candidates saying, “But if you take the risk you also have the chance to lose. Now I say, if (other people) want to take the risk then take the risk. Don’t speak, go out and fight, then you will see. That is good. I am happy to fight. I am a fighter.”
Blatter has yet to announce his official candidacy and said “I will not announce for the time being that I am a candidate, I am not in a hurry, I have until the end of January next year.”
Rumour has it Platini may be planning to announce his candidature on August 28 prior to the Champions League draw, but at the FIFA congress in Sao Paolo he already made clear, “In the future I won’t support Blatter anymore. I’ve told him that. I think that FIFA needs a breath of fresh air.”
Whether Platini runs for the FIFA presidency remains to be seen with Holland’s Michael Van Praag having been posited as an alternative UEFA candidate, and Jérôme Champagne still being mentioned as a reform candidate. Platini will first have to decide whether to stand again for UEFA presidency.
It remains to be seen if former FIFA World Cup Golden Boot winner and now TV presenter Gary Lineker, who recently said Sepp Blatter had run FIFA “like a dictatorship for so long and he comes out with so much nonsense,” will take up the challenge.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734801087labto1734801087ofdlr1734801087owedi1734801087sni@r1734801087ebab.1734801087kram1734801087