Sepp Blatter was re-elected as FIFA president for a fifth term despite separate US and Swiss criminal investigations into corruption into the soccer's governing body. The 209 FIFA member federations gave the 79-year-old Blatter another four-year term after Prince Ali bin alHussein of Jordan conceded defeat after losing 133-73 in the first round.
Blatter won despite calls for his resignation from UEFA president Michel Platini and others. Platini said that UEFA, which runs European football, could boycott the 2018 World Cup if Blatter was re-elected and the allocation of the Cup to Russia was not revoked.
The election was forced to a second vote after Blatter failed to gain a two-thirds majority in the initial phase. The first ballot was conducted with 133 votes going to Blatter, 73 to Prince Ali and three being invalid. Each of FIFA's 209 member associations gets a single vote.
However, Prince Ali announced before the second vote that he was stepping aside.
Earlier, when United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch released details of a 47-count indictment against 14 people either senior members of, or linked to FIFA, Blatter was considered to lose the battle. However, that was cast into doubt in the hours leading up to the election, as first European governing body UEFA, then US Soccer president Sunil Gulati, came out in public support of Prince Ali.
Yet Blatter's core support came through, and although the ballot was conducted in secret, as per FIFA regulations, it is likely he maintained near-unanimous backing in his strongholds of Africa and Asia. Africa held 54 votes, Asia 46. Either contender needed 105 to win.
Before the second round started, Prince Ali stood before the congress and conceded. "I want to thank all of you who were brave enough to support me," said the prince, who previously spoke of a culture of intimidation at FIFA. "It's been a wonderful journey in terms of knowing you, working with you."
Blatter, 79, was not mentioned in the case led by Lynch, on behalf of the Department of Justice and in conjunction with the FBI and IRS, though his past will be scrutinized as the investigation continues.
Once again, however, the czar of soccer politics has survived a crisis – at least for now. Public opinion and even some of his former supporters have turned against him, but as ever, Blatter carries on, seemingly unbothered by the storm of controversy he inevitably creates.
Until and unless there are further, more damning revelations about FIFA that implicate Blatter, soccer's self-styled godfather will remain at the top table, much to the dismay of those hoping for a clear out and cleanup of the sport that calls itself the beautiful game.
7 top soccer officials arrested on graft charges
Football, the world's most popular sport, was plunged into turmoil after US and Swiss authorities announced separate inquiries into the activities of the game's powerful governing body, FIFA. US authorities said nine soccer officials and five sports media and promotions executives faced corruption charges involving more than $150 million in bribes. In pursuit of the US case, Swiss police arrested seven FIFA officials who are now awaiting extradition to the United States.
US officials gave details of a case in which they said they exposed complex money laundering schemes, found millions of dollars in untaxed incomes and tens of millions in offshore accounts held by FIFA officials.
One of those indicted, former FIFA Vice-President Jack Warner of Trinidad, solicited $10 million in bribes from the South African government to host the 2010 World Cup, US Justice Department said.
Those arrested did not include Sepp Blatter, the Swiss head of FIFA, but included several just below him in the hierarchy of sport's wealthiest body. US said it was not charging Blatter at this time.
Of the 14 indicted by the US Department of Justice, seven FIFA officials, including Vice-President Jeffrey Webb, were being held in Zurich. Four people and two corporate defendants had already pleaded guilty to various charges, the department said.
