Embattled Blatter resigns over FIFA scandal

Sepp Blatter on Tuesday resigned as president of FIFA as a mounting corruption scandal engulfed world football's governing body.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter leaves the stage after making a speech during the opening ceremony of the 65th FIFA Congress in Zurich, Switzerland, May 28, 2015. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/Files

"Although I was reelected, I did not have the support of everyone in the football world," it was with these words that Sepp Blatter announced his resignation as FIFA president on Tuesday, only four days after his reelection.

The 79-year-old Swiss official, FIFA president for 17 years and only reelected on Friday, said a special congress would be called to elect a successor.

Blatter said that the scandal-tainted FIFA needs "profound reconstruction" and that he had "thoroughly reconsidered" his presidency since his reelection.

His resignation came less than a week after Swiss police arrested seven FIFA officials, including two vice presidents, at a Zurich hotel.