Blatter Set To Stay Despite Delay Calls

Current FIFA president Sepp Blatter looks set to win a fourth term in office unopposed on Wednesday, despite late calls from the English and Scottish Football Associations for a postponement.

Prince William, president of the English Football Association backed calls for Wednesday’s vote to be delayed following the recent allegations of corruption within world football’s governing body, but the Associations have struggled to find widespread support for the proposal.

The FA and SFA bid to suspend the election, which will become a coronation with Blatter standing unopposed, looks unlikely because the Associations would require the support of 75% of the 208 nations.

A spokesperson for Prince William said: ‘The Duke of Cambridge, as FA President, has been kept informed of the FA’s proposals and is fully supportive of the Chairman and the initiatives the FA has recommended’.

‘He considers the transparency of the international governing body to be integral to the good governance of the game’.

FIFA executive committee member Chuck Blazer was critical of the FA’s attempt to force a postponement to proceedings, arguing that the move should have come much earlier.

Blazer said: ‘Unfortunately with them, everything is too little, too late. If they wanted other candidates they should have done things before the deadline’.

If they wanted to report malfeasance they shouldn’t have waited for a Parliamentary hearing. The FA needs to learn to be ahead of the curve and not behind the game’.

Blatter was due to battle for a fourth term in charge with Mohamed Bin Hammam, but the Qatari has since been suspended along with FIFA vice-president Jack Warner over allegations that financial incentives were offered to Caribbean Football Union members.

Blatter was also investigated following a charge against him by Bin Hammam, although Fifa’s ethics committee did not find that the president had a case to answer.

Bin Hammam has appealed against his ban, while Warner, who is also president of CONCACAF, the governing body for football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, also denies any wrongdoing.