Sepp Blatter stepping down, says FIFA needs ‘profound overhaul’

FIFA President Sepp Blatter will step down as head of world soccer’s governing body but only after the organization’s executive committee organizes a fresh vote “for the election of my successor,” he said Tuesday.

Blatter did not say when the election would be held but said it should be before the next World Congress in May 2016. It cannot be held for at least four months, according to FIFA rules, said Domenico Scala, chairman of FIFA’s audit and compliance committee.

“The expectation is that this could take place anytime from December of this year to March of next year,” he said.

Speaking in Zurich, Blatter said the reforms he has tried to implement over the years have not been enough.

video

Related video Prince Ali: If they want me to, I will run for President

“I felt compelled to stand for re-election, as I believed that this was the best thing for the organization. That election is over, but FIFA’s challenges are not. FIFA needs a profound overhaul,” he said.

He continued, “While I have a mandate from the membership of FIFA, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football – the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and love football as much as we all do at FIFA.”

Michel Platini, president of UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, has criticized Blatter in the past and told reporters last week that he had asked Blatter to bow out of the elections. He was one of the first to react to the announcement: “It was a difficult decision, a brave decision, and the right decision.”

David Gill, vice chairman of England’s Football Association, which voiced its support for Blatter’s opposition in last week’s election, said he welcomed Blatter’s resignation as “a major step forward for FIFA on the road to proper reform.”

Gill, who resigned from FIFA’s executive committee after Blatter was re-elected Friday, said he will consider returning to the post now that Blatter is no longer at FIFA’s helm. He never formally confirmed his resignation, he said.

“I simply could not countenance serving on the FIFA executive committee alongside Mr Blatter. I respect his decision but am pleased he is standing aside and by the clear determination for real change within FIFA. This in turn allows me to reconsider my position.”

Read Blatter’s entire speech

Blatter won a fifth term Friday despite a week marred by arrests, investigations in the United States and Switzerland and questions about whether he was the man to rebuild FIFA’s reputation.

Blatter failed to get the required 140 votes in the first round of voting to prevail. Another round of voting was called, and because Blatter would need only a simple majority to win the second, his rival, Jordan’s Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, conceded.

The prince initially did not say whether he is planning to run for the seat Blatter will vacate and told CNN he was at the disposal of all of soccer’s “national associations who want a change, including many of them who were afraid to do so before this day.”

In a follow-up interview, he said, “I have to talk to our national associations and see how they feel about this. I think it’s a bit early, but definitely, if they want me to do it, I will do it.”

Asked his reaction to Blatter’s annoucement, he replied, “It is the right move for Sepp Blatter, and I think we have to look to the future. … We have to bring back FIFA to being a service organization, not a company, not anything else.”

Former FIFA presidential candidate Luis Figo called Tuesday a “good day for FIFA and football.”

“Change is finally coming,” the former Portugal star player said. “Now we should, responsibly and calmly, find a consensual solution worldwide in order to start new era of dynamism, transparency and democracy in FIFA.”

Figo didn’t say whether he would run again.

Possible candidates

– Jordan’s Prince Ali bin al-Hussein: The 39-year-old son of the late King Hussein of Jordan has been a FIFA vice president since 2011, representing Asia. He is the president of the West Asia Football federation. In the first ballot in the recent FIFA presidential election, he only received 73 votes, and most of those likely came from European associations, after his candidacy was put forth by England.

– Michel Platini: The former French great was once an ally of Blatter, but in recent years had opposed the president on many issues. Platini, who turns 60 this month, has been the head of UEFA since 2007 and is a FIFA vice president. He was one of the all-time best players, having three times won European player of the year. Just a few years ago he appeared to be Blatter’s successor – until the president announced he would run again.

– Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad al-Sabah: The 51-year-old member of the Kuwaiti royal family is a member of the FIFA executive committee and a prominent figure in the Olympic movement. He is president of the Association of National Olympic Committees, which oversees the hundreds of national Olympic committees. Al-Sabah has been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1992. He is a Blatter supporter, and if he ran, could draw votes from other backers of the outgoing president.

– Michael van Praag: A key figure at UEFA and a member of the federation’s executive committee. He runs the national association of the Netherlands and was a candidate earlier this year for FIFA president. He withdrew a week before the election and supported al-Hussein. Van Praag, 67, reportedly is a supporter of a two-term limit for the office.

– Issa Hayatou: He has been on the FIFA executive committee for 25 years and is the organization’s senior vice president. The former top official for Cameroonian soccer, he has been the president of Africa’s confederation since 1988. The 68-year-old has twice been publicly accused of taking bribes in connection with soccer events, according to media reports. He denied the allegations and was never charged. He ran for FIFA president in 2002 but lost by a large margin.

– Jerome Champagne: Another recent candidate for the office. He dropped out of the race in February when he couldn’t get the support of the five national associations necessary to be on the ballot. The former diplomat was one of Blatter’s chief advisers from 1999 to 2010 when he was director of international relations for FIFA. During his time there, Champagne worked closely with Blatter, tasked with overseeing improvements in relations with national associations and other international sporting bodies including the International Olympic Committee. He was let go for reasons never fully explained.

– David Ginola: His prior candidacy was considered a publicity stunt – one which lasted just weeks – by much of the media and soccer public. The Frenchman’s bid was backed by Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, who has a self-confessed penchant for mischief, and Ginola reportedly was being paid ￡250,000 ($375,000) for his involvement. Several outlets, including the BBC, reported Tuesday night he would run again in the special election. The former player, 48, was voted player of the year in his home country’s league and in England’s Premier League.

Officials: Investigation continues

Blatter will continue his duties until a new president is elected, he said.

Normally, the FIFA president is elected at the organization’s World Congress, the next one being scheduled in Mexico City on May 13.

Waiting until then to elect new leadership “would create unnecessary delay and I will urge the executive committee to organize an extraordinary congress for the election of my successor at the earliest opportunity.”

Who is Sepp Blatter?

In the meantime, not being a candidate will allow him “to focus on driving far-reaching, fundamental reforms that transcend our previous efforts. For years, we have worked hard to put in place administrative reforms, but it is plain to me that while these must continue, they are not enough.”

Among those reforms are “integrity checks” for all executive committee members, term limits for the president and executive committee members, and a requirement to elect executive committee members, Blatter said.

“I have fought for these changes before and, as everyone knows, my efforts have been blocked. This time, I will succeed,” Blatter said.

FIFPro, the world union for soccer players, said it welcomed Blatter’s resignation because it “creates an overdue and unique opportunity to fundamentally reform the governance of football.” But it insisted that the game’s players are “pivotal” to any overhaul and warned, “The reform effort will fail without the direct involvement of the players.”

CNNMoney: Blatter resignation surprises even some critics

Swiss authorities are questioning executive committee members as part of their probe into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids. Blatter is not being investigated as part of that probe, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland said in a statement.

Meanwhile, an investigation in the United States resulted in the FBI arresting nine FIFA officials and five corporate executives.The American investigation has targeted what one high-ranking IRS official called “the World Cup of fraud.”

Blatter is not one of those arrested or facing charges by U.S. authorities, but he was among those investigated.

Asked whether the U.S. investigation had cleared Blatter, Attorney General Loretta Lynch told reporters, “I’m not able to comment further on Mr. Blatter’s status.” U.S. officials told CNN that the FBI corruption investigation into FIFA’s president continues.

Complete coverage of the FIFA controversy

A controversial leader —

FIFA president Sepp Blatter's 2011 remarks on racism in football -- that on-pitch abuse can be solved with a handshake -- were just one of a series of controversial quotes to be attributed to the head of world soccer.

Tighter shorts for women? —

In 2004, Blatter -- seen here with Brazil star Marta -- angered female footballers with his suggestion for how the women's game could be made more appealing. "They could, for example, have tighter shorts," said the Swiss. "Let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball."

Football slavery? —

In 2008 Blatter was ridiculed after defending the desire of Manchester United's highly-paid star Cristiano Ronaldo to join Real Madrid. He said: "I think in football there's too much modern slavery in transferring players or buying players here and there, and putting them somewhere." In 2013 he had to apologize to Ronaldo after a bizarre impersonation of the Madrid star.

Goal-line technology U-turn —

Blatter performed a U-turn on the use of goal-line technology and apologized to the English Football Association after an incorrect decision during the 2010 World Cup. Despite replays showing a shot from England's Frank Lampard had clearly crossed the line in the last-16 clash with Germany, the goal was not awarded.

Excusez-moi? —

Blatter had earlier refused to take action when Thierry Henry's blatant handball denied the Republic of Ireland a place at the 2010 World Cup finals. Even the France striker admitted the fairest solution was to replay the playoff match.

"Refrain from sexual activity" —

In December 2010, Blatter was heavily criticized for suggesting gay football fans should "refrain from sexual activity" if they wished to attend the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal. Blatter later apologized and said it had not been his intention to offend or discriminate.

Winter World Cup? —

Blatter clashed with fellow members of FIFA's executive committee when he suggested the 2022 FIFA World Cup could be played in January to avoid high temperatures in Qatar. He said the move would "protect the players and also the spectators." Qatar flatly rejected Blatter's suggestion at the time, but FIFA is now reviewing whether to adopt it.

Rotten eggs? —

In December 2010 Blatter insisted that FIFA was "not corrupt ... there are no rotten eggs" despite two of his executive committee members -- Amos Adamu, pictured, and Reynald Temarii -- being suspended for accepting bribes in the lead-up to the vote for awarding hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. He called England "bad losers" after losing out to Russia.

Best of enemies? —

Blatter stood unopposed for re-election in July after his former ally Mohamed bin Hammam quit the race days before the ballot after being accused of offering cash for votes. The Qatari, a top FIFA official, has been banned from football.

Charges dropped —

Blatter faced a criminal investigation after winning the 2002 FIFA presidential election, being accused of financial mismanagement by 11 former members of the ruling body's executive committee, including his 1998 election rival Lennart Johansson, right. However, prosecutors dropped the case due to a lack of evidence.

We need to talk about Kevin —

In January 2013, AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng led his team off the pitch after being subjected to racist chanting. His actions were hailed across the world. But Blatter was more cautious about the issue, refusing to support the move. "I don't think you can run away, because eventually you can run away if you lose a match," he said in an interview with a newspaper in the UAE. "This issue is a very touchy subject, but I repeat there is zero tolerance of racism in the stadium; we have to go against that." Others, like AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi, have disagreed with him. "I am of the opposite view (to Blatter)," said Berlusconi. "I thanked and congratulated my players for their decision to leave the field."

Sepp Blatter: A controversial leader

Prev Next

CNN’s Christiane Amanpour and Steve Almasy contributed to this report.