Blatter was re-elected as FIFA president with an overwhelming mandate of 186 votes from 203 ballots cast after the only challenger, Mohamed Bin Hammam, pulled out of the race after being suspended on allegations of bribery. Despite a late call to postpone the election from David Bernstein, the chairman of England’s Football Association, opposition to Blatter was limited.
“We have instruments needed to restart the credibility of FIFA,” said 75-year-old Blatter, who was investigated and cleared of corruption by FIFA’s Ethics Committee on Sunday. “We wondered if the unity of FIFA could be maintained. Everybody was looking for solutions and we will apply them.”
Blatter’s most eye-catching pledge was for FIFA’s 200-plus members to vote on the hosts of future World Cups rather than the 24-man Executive Committee. However, the Executive Committee will still decide the shortlist of candidate countries for the World Cup tenders. Blatter also marked his coronation by introducing a new internal watchdog unit called “the solution committee”.
The FIFA president said that one of his targets in his final four years as the head of the organisation was to have a woman sitting on the Executive Committee. Blatter also suggested that former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff could join his fight for reform within FIFA.
“I am the captain weathering the storm,” said Blatter, acknowledging the most tumultuous week in the history of the governing body. “Not only is the pyramid shaking but our ship has drawn some water. We must do something because I do not want ever again that we face this undignified situation.”
