MX23RW : Saturday, November 23 20:47:13| >> :600:299503022:299503022:

FIFA president Sepp Blatter: "You can't ask everybody to behave ethically"

FIFA president Sepp Blatter tells Congress during today's election that "you can't ask everybody to behave ethically" amid recent corruption allegations.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has claimed that "you can't ask everybody to behave ethically just like that" during his presidential address to Congress.

Football's world governing body is in crisis after seven officials were arrested in Zurich on Wednesday on suspicion of bribery, money laundering and racketeering.

It is alleged that more than $100m (£65m) was accepted in bribes from the 1990s to the present day, which has alerted the Swiss authorities to open an investigation into the allocation of the 2018 Russia World Cup and 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Today, Blatter hopes to be re-elected for a fifth term and during his presidential address, the 79-year-old suggested that he cannot be solely responsible for the 'mistakes of others'.

In a lengthy speech, the Swiss said: "We are going through troubled times. It's not unprecedented but the events of Wednesday have cast a shadow across football. Lets try and lift that shadow and our spirits.

"We can't let the reputation of football and FIFA be dragged through the mud - we can't accept that because those that are behind this, those that are truly at fault, especially if they are convicted and found guilty, these are individuals and they are not the entire organisation. These are certain individuals who have lost sight of the fact that our game is based on discipline, respect, sportsmanship, and that it's a team sport. A team sport in which everybody needs to aim at the same goal.

"I'm willing to accept that the president of FIFA is responsible for everything, but I would like to share that responsibility with you, or at the very least with the executive committee. It's our government and I would like to share this responsibility with them and also with all of you.

"We are at a turning point and we need to pull together and move forward. We cannot constantly supervise everybody that's in football - we have 209 member associations [and] we have more than 300 million active participants. How can everybody be responsible? That's impossible."

While referring to the recent arrests, which took place two days before the election, Blatter said: "I'm not going to use the word coincidence but I do have a small question mark. You can't ask everybody to behave ethically just like that."

Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein is hoping to successfully challenge Blatter for the presidency today.

ID:225426: cacheID:225426:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3393:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
FA Chairman Greg Dyke during a media conference on September 4, 2013
Read Next:
Dyke: 'England will consider World Cup withdrawal'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Crystal Palace121561017-78
19Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
20Southampton11119721-144


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!