Sepp Blatter says will remain FIFA president, denies wrongdoing

FIFA’s embattled president Sepp Blatter insisted Monday that he will not stand down despite being the target of a Swiss criminal investigation for mismanagement. Blatter is being investigated for a 2005 television rights sale to the Caribbean Football Union and a payment of  2 million Swiss francs (about $2 million) to UEFA President Michel Platini in 2011 for work supposedly carried out at least nine years earlier. Blatter denied any “wrongdoing” in a meeting at FIFA headquarters.

It was a full-time job and my functions were known by all.

Platini said in the letter.

Platini had been favourite to succeed Blatter at the special election called for February. But FIFA insiders and former officials have suggested that being mentioned in Swiss case could a major blow to his candidacy. Meanwhile, with trust in FIFA falling to new lows, there have been calls for an outsider with a clean record to be named interim president. If Blatter is suspended, FIFA’s senior vice president Issa Hayatou of Cameroon, head of the Confederation of African Football, would take over.

I expect Blatter to be suspended. There’s no choice.

Guido Tognoni, a former FIFA staffer and Blatter advisor.

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