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Football

Blatter vows to fight on as head of Fifa

Sepp Blatter, the boss of world football's governing body Fifa, re-emphasised his determination to stay as the head of the organisation. In an interview with a German magazine, he said he would not walk away without fighting to restore order.

Sepp Blatter says he is determined to remain in charge.
Sepp Blatter says he is determined to remain in charge. Reuters/Arnd Wiegmann/Files
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Blatter underlined his desire to lead the scandal tainted organisation until the next presidential election on 26 February.

"I will only stop working on 26 February and not a day before," he said in an interview with the magazine Bunte. "I will fight until then. For me. And for Fifa."

Last weekend leading sponsors Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Visa and Budweiser demanded the immediate resignation of the 79-year-old Swiss.

Their call came after Swiss prosecutors launched proceedings against Blatter. Coca-Cola said Blatter's departure was necessary so that credible and sustainable reform could begin.  "Every day that passes the image and reputation of Fifa continues to tarnish," it added.

But Blatter repeated that he would not yield to pressure. "Those are just the Americans," he said before outlining that other Fifa sponsors, such as Adidas, Hyundai and Gazprom, were still behind him.

Blatter has been Fifa chief since 1998. He was re-elected in May but announced in June that he was calling a fresh election for February 2016 because he did not feel he had a mandate from the entire world of football.

Blatter told Bunte that he could be a key player in the restructuring of the organisation. "I stand by it, because I am convinced I can initiate the necessary reforms for the benefit of Fifa," he said. "One needs to let me finally do my job and not keep attacking me."

However it appears that desire will not be satisfied.

On Wednesday, Chung Mong-Joon, one of the men vying to replace him as Fifa president said he plans to start legal action against Blatter for embezzlement.

Chung, who says he faces suspension by Fifa's ethics committee, hit out at Blatter for refusing to divulge his salary.

"That is why I plan to sue Mr Blatter for embezzlement," Chung told the Sport Leaders convention in London.

He said Blatter had repeatedly meddled in the elections of major football confederations that comprise Fifa.

   

   

 

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