Blatter re-elected FIFA president
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Sepp Blatter was re-elected FIFA president on Jun. 01, 2011 after a major bribery scandal left him as the only candidate. (Xinhua/Yuyang) |
Stung by allegations of mismanagement and corruption, Sepp Blatter held onto his spot as the leader of world soccer Wednesday, winning a one-man election derided as a "coronation."
Blatter was re-elected after receiving 186 of the 203 votes cast to remain in charge until 2015.
As his arch rival Mohamed bin Hammam, the Qatari head of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), withdrew from the election on Sunday amid allegations of vote-buying, Blatter became the only candidate for the post.
Earlier today, a motion launched by English FA chairman David Bernstein to postpone the scandal-hit ballot was dismissed by 172 votes to 17.
The election capped a period of several months in which FIFA has been buffeted by a swirl of corruption allegations, bid scandals, internal infighting and match-fixing cases that have scarred the credibility of the organization and the world's most popular sport.
Blatter, who has headed the richest world sport organization since 1998, pledged to initiate wide-ranging reforms including the procedure to choose future World Cup hosts.
"In the future the World Cup will be decided by the FIFA Congress. The executive committee will create a shortlist - but will make no recommendations only a list - and the Congress will decide on the venue," said Blatter.
