The 79-year-old stepped down as president on Tuesday, citing a lack of support from the wider football world for his decision
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Sepp Blatter announced his resignation as Fifa president at a hastily-arranged press conference in Zurich on Tuesday.
Here is his resignation speech in full:
"I
have been reflecting deeply about my presidency and about the forty
years in which my life has been inextricably bound to Fifa and the great
sport of football.
"I cherish Fifa more than anything and I want to do only what is best
for Fifa and for football. I felt compelled to stand for re-election,
as I believed that this was the best thing for the organisation. That
election is over but Fifa's challenges are not.
"Fifa needs a profound overhaul. While I have a mandate from the
membership of Fifa, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire
world of football – the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who
live, breathe and love football as much as we all do at Fifa.
"Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary
elective Congress. I will continue to exercise my functions as Fifa
President until that election.
"The next ordinary Fifa Congress will take place on May 13, 2016 in
Mexico City. This would create unnecessary delay and I will urge the
Executive Committee to organise an Extraordinary Congress for the
election of my successor at the earliest opportunity. This will need to
be done in line with Fifa’s statutes and we must allow enough time for
the best candidates to present themselves and to campaign.
"Since I shall not be a candidate, and am therefore now free from the
constraints that elections inevitably impose, I shall be able to focus
on driving far-reaching, fundamental reforms that transcend our previous
efforts. For years, we have worked hard to put in place administrative
reforms, but it is plain to me that while these must continue, they are
not enough.
According to
Goal.com "The Executive Committee includes representatives of confederations
over whom we have no control, but for whose actions Fifa is held
responsible.
"We need deep-rooted structural change. The size of the Executive
Committee must be reduced and its members should be elected through the
Fifa Congress.
"The integrity checks for all Executive Committee members must be
organised centrally through Fifa and not through the confederations. We
need term limits not only for the president but for all members of the
Executive Committee.
"I have fought for these changes before and, as everyone knows, my efforts have been blocked. This time, I will succeed.
"I cannot do this alone. I have asked Domenico Scala to oversee the introduction and implementation of these and other measures.
"Mr. Scala is the Independent Chairman of our Audit and Compliance
Committee elected by the Fifa Congress. He is also the Chairman of the
ad hoc Electoral Committee and, as such, he will oversee the election of
my successor. Mr. Scala enjoys the confidence of a wide range of
constituents within and outside of Fifa and has all the knowledge and
experience necessary to help tackle these major reforms.
"It is my deep care for Fifa and its interests, which I hold very
dear, that has led me to take this decision. I would like to thank those
who have always supported me in a constructive and loyal manner as
president of Fifa and who have done so much for the game that we all
love. What matters to me more than anything is that when all of this is
over, football is the winner."
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Carlo Ancelotti
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