Blatter wins fifth FIFA term

Sepp Blatter has been re-elected as FIFA president for a fifth term.
Blatter defeated challenger Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein at the FIFA Congress
in Zurich on Friday, when the latter conceded defeat after the first round of
voting.
Blatter had missed out on the required two-thirds majority in the first
ballot - receiving 133 votes to his rival's 73 - but Prince Ali took to the
stage to withdraw before a second round could begin.
The result came at the end of a day that had been interrupted by a protest
and an anonymous security threat at the Hallenstadion.
The elections took place against a backdrop of controversy following the
news on Wednesday that nine past and present FIFA officials were among
14 people indicted on charges of racketeering, conspiracy and corruption
by United States authorities.
Many had called for the elections to be postponed in light of the
developments, while others – including UEFA president Michel Platini –
urged Blatter to step aside before the vote.
But the Swiss defiantly refused to heed those calls, saying in his opening
address to delegates that he would "shoulder the responsibility to fix
FIFA".
And he will now be given the mandate to carry forward that pledge, having
been voted back into football’s top job by a majority of the 209 member
associations.
However, Blatter appears likely to face a number of challenges in the early
days of his new term, with Platini having previously stated that the UEFA
member nations could boycott all FIFA competitions – including the World
Cup – should Blatter be re-elected.
FIFA vice-president David Gill, meanwhile, threatened to stand down
from the Executive Committee in the event of a Blatter victory.
The fall-out from the indictment of those implicated officials looks set to
rumble on, while a separate Swiss investigation into the awarding of the
2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar could yet cause further
headaches for Blatter and FIFA.
In his speech to delegates ahead of the vote, Blatter had insisted he was the
right man to bring about change within the game.
"I am being held accountable for the current storm," he said. "Okay, so be
it, I will shoulder that responsibility. I will take it upon myself. I will accept
this responsibility to fix FIFA together with you.
"I want to do it now, tomorrow and the day after and the weeks and
months to come."
Earlier in the day, an anonymous threat forced police to step in and search
the premises, with rumours of a bomb threat sparked while delegates were
on a lunch break.
Police were required to assess the venue following the receipt of the threat,
although clearance was subsequently given for the Congress to continue.
Addressing the situation, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said: "An
anonymous threat against the FIFA congress was received. FIFA and the
local authorities immediately evaluated the situation.
"In consultation with FIFA, the local authority decided to search the
premises during the lunch break."

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