Blatter: 'No financial problem at FIFA'

MILAN, Italy (AP) -- FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Monday that he has agreed to an internal audit committee to look into the finances of the soccer's world governing body to protect FIFA's reputation, not his own honor.

"There is no financial problem at FIFA," Blatter told a news conference at Milan's Bocconi University where he had given a lecture.

"It's to prove the total transparency, that an ad hoc audit committee has been set up. I only want to protect FIFA's reputation. The president does not need it," he said.

Only a few days earlier, Blatter had come under a hail of criticism and calls for an investigation into the effects of the collapse of marketing partners ISL/ISMM on the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.

Blatter insisted that the committee was intended to control the state of FIFA's finances and not to conduct an investigation "which can be only decided by the FIFA congress."

"We can continue in peace to work together," he said.

Blatter confirmed that he will be bidding for a second term as FIFA president and that he was the only candidate at the moment.

"I don't mind if someone wants to run [against me]," Blatter said. "There are 17 days left to name another candidate."

Some critics suggested that Blatter's political life would be damaged by any wrongdoing turning up in an audit.

According to published reports Cameroon's Issa Hayatou, head of the African Confederation, was preparing to run.

Blatter, 66, from Switzerland, was elected FIFA president in 1998. He was secretary general of the organization from 1981 through 1998.

As for this year's World Cup in Japan and South Korea, Blatter said there have been assurances about tight security.

"We got written guarantees from the governments of Japan and South Korea that all necessary steps to ensure security have been taken," Blatter said.

The FIFA president refused to answer a question about U.S. President George Bush's branding North Korea a terrorist nation.

"I can say I'll visit North Korea in May, before the World Cup," Blatter said.

Blatter also talked about the saturation of soccer as entertainment.

"There are too many soccer matches on television screens and in the stadiums ... the players, who are the actors, are increasingly tired and the show is not good."

Blatter also said that UEFA, the European soccer governing body, was preparing to look into the finances of European clubs which are posting growing deficits and risk collapse.

Hayatou to decide on FIFA presidency bid this week

PARIS -- Issa Hayatou, president of the African Football Confederation, said in an interview published Monday that he plans to decide later this week whether he will run for the FIFA presidency.

Hayatou, who is from Cameroon, told French sports daily L'Equipe that he would make the decision after a confederation meeting in Egypt on Saturday.

"I will know then whether I have to join the battle or not," Hayatou was quoted as saying. "I don't know if I will say it on that day or a little later."

FIFA's besieged president, Sepp Blatter, has said he will seek a second term as head of soccer's world governing body. He is currently the only candidate.

Blatter has faced intense criticism and calls for an investigation into the effects of the US$300 million collapse of marketing partners ISL/ISMM on the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.

Hayatou told L'Equipe that Blatter agreed to allow an internal audit committee to look into FIFA's finances only after he came under pressure at a stormy FIFA executive committee meeting on Saturday.

"After refusing for a long time, he had to yield ... because a majority demanded such an investigation," Hayatou said.

He said Lennart Johansson, the president of European soccer governing body UEFA, walked out of the executive meeting in anger.

Blatter told reporters in Milan on Monday that the committee was intended to control the state of FIFA's finances and not to conduct an investigation.

Asked about the effect of FIFA's troubles, Hayatou said: "The current atmosphere is not good and gives a bad image of our sport."

 

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