Fifa corruption scandal live: Sepp Blatter called to resign

Seemingly Blatter, washing his hands of any involvement, thinks that it is his duty to fix the situation, rather than resign / not run for election tomorrow:

Actions of individuals bring shame and humiliation on football and demand action and change from us all. We cannot allow the reputation of Fifa and football to be dragged through the mud, it has to stop here and now. I know many people hold me ultimately responsible for actions of football's governing community. I cannot monitor everyone all of the time, if people want to do wrong they will also try to hide. But it must fall to me for the responsibility for organisation and find a way to fix things.

Blatter, who evidently has no intention of stepping down, finishes up by saying let's "enjoy the show". Wow.

On other subjects, in comments which will not appease critics, he said: "We have lost trust, we must now earn it back.

Here he is live:

Blatter is on, he is speaking to the congress ...
He starts: "Dear friends, you will agree with me that these are unpresendented and difficult times for Fifa. The events of yesterday have cast a long shadow over Fifa and football."

Earlier the scene was rather celebratory:

More news on sponsors ...
According to Bloomberg's Gerrit De Vynck "BCE Inc. and Bank of Nova Scotia, two Canadian sponsors of Fifa, said they are keeping a close eye on the U.S. corruption probe with just a week to go before the Women’s World Cup kicks off in Canada".
De Vynck adds: "BCE, known by its brand name Bell, has broadcast rights to the women’s tournament as well as the 2018 and 2022 men’s World Cups. Scotiabank sponsors events held by FIFA’s North American and Caribbean organizing body, known as CONCACAF."

More from Gill. After Platini did not rule out the possibility of a World Cup boycott by European countries if Blatter wins tomorrow's election, but Gill said that it would be wrong to make the fans suffer.
He said: "That's a discussion to be had by everyone in Uefa.
"All the options will be looked at but ultimately it's for the fans. The fans like the World Cup, the fans like the big games so that's to me a measure of last resort and I don't think we will get there.
"We should ensure the World Cup goes on, we had a great World Cup last summer - apart from for England - and we need to move on so let's see what other avenues are open. Why should the fans and the players suffer because of maladministration - I don't think they should."

And Blatter, who is supposed to be addressing Fifa to open the congress later on today, has just been spotted getting out of a car. No luxury bed clothes around him. At least not yet. Will he speak publically? We shall see.

Big news from Zurich as David Gill, the FA vice-chairman and former Manchester United chief executive, confirms he will refuse to take up Britain's Fifa vice-presidency if Sepp Blatter is re-elected as president tomorrow.
"Seismic events happened yesterday and if he [Blatter] can't see the enormity of what has happened and resign then I recognise that to be on that body would be futile," he said.
"I don't think that is right for me and more importantly I don't think that's right for UEFA and football."
Gill believes the only other challenger in Friday's election - Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan - is a worthy candidate.
"In Prince Ali we have a very credible and plausible candidate who can take FIFA forward and I would be delighted to work for him in a new FIFA," Gill added.
Finally! Some good news for Fifa today:
Tom Edwards makes an important point

So what next? Mr Blatter, I think it is your move. Sir Richard Branson thinks you should jump:

And David Gill has said he will ask not to sit on Fifa's executive committee if Blatter is re-elected as president.
The British football executive, formerly chief executive of Manchester United and FA vice-chairman, has been asked if he would carry out threat of standing down if Blatter gets back in. "Yes, I've been very clear about that," he replied.

As per Tyers’ earlier tweet, Lampard is not holding back on his opinions during his appearance on Loose Women, the ITV panel show.
The former England captain said "there's been a smell for a while" around Fifa.
"The world of football needs to move on and find someone else," he said of Blatter.
He added about the investigation: "There's been a smell for a while and there's been some rumblings.
"It's good that it's been investigated in the right way."

A hit on the wires, summarising what happened in that press conference:
Michel Platini has not ruled out the possibility of a World Cup boycott by Uefa members if Sepp Blatter is re-elected as Fifa president on Friday.
Platini, the president of European football's governing body, urged Blatter to stand down when the pair met on Thursday amid fresh Fifa corruption allegations emerging from separate inquiries by the US Department of Justice and the Swiss government.
Blatter refused to quit and still intends to stand against Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein in Friday's presidential vote.
Platini said Uefa would unite behind Prince Ali and admitted that, if the 79-year-old Blatter was to win a fifth term in office, Uefa would have some tough decisions to make when its members meet again in Berlin next week before the Champions League final.
Asked if a boycott of Fifa competitions was a possibility, Platini said: "Uefa associations will meet in Berlin next week. We will be open to all options."
Pressed further on the prospect of a World Cup boycott, Platini added: "There may be proposals. I honestly don't wish that."

Here’s a picture of Platini from his conference, and I think there is a Jeremy Beadle gag in there somewhere:

_{Michel Platini says he told Sepp Blatter to resign as the Fifa head (AFP)}
And a funny from funny man Alan Tyers:

Our man in Zurich, Ben Rumsby, is providing us with updates in Twitter form. Read them here:

It’s Oliver Pickup taking over from Charlie Eccleshare now, mid-Platini press conference. The Uefa president has had this to say about the arrests and Sepp Blatter, the head of Fifa, just now:
"I feel pain in my stomach. As someone who has worked with Fifa for many years, I am absolutely sickened.”
The former French captain thinks that Prince Ali will be victorious in tomorrow’s election, and the Swiss will not be voted in for a fifth time.
“A big, big big majority of the European associations will vote for Prince Ali. People have had enough, they don't want this president anymore.”
Platini revealed that he suggested to Blatter he must resign to ease the fallout.
"I asked him for a face-to-face meeting, and I said, 'Look Sepp, we started at Fifa in 1904, and for the future of Fifa, I am here to ask you to leave, to resign'.
"I speak like a friend with him. He said it was too late."
Platini also lamented Uefa's loss of influence in the governing of world matters.
"Uefa created Fifa 111 years ago. It was the European associations that created Fifa. Uefa loses its influence. Uefa and Conmebol [the South American Football Confederation] are in the minority, this creates problems.
“People can always count on us. I won't defend myself personally, I will always put the game first.”

Platini: "If Sepp decides to stay on, it means he is strong (in terms of support)."

Platini says Blatter was feeling sorry for himself: "I told him, 'listen Sepp we're being very criticised'. He said 'not as much as I am'."

"We cannot continue like this with Fifa" says Platini.

Platini says Blatter claims he is "like an uncle to me". And then Ben's tweet below is spot on...

Platini: "If Mr Blatter wins, Uefa will meet in Berlin to discuss the future of our relations with Fifa."

Platini on World Cup slots: "There is a red line that will not be crossed... Europe will not lose a slot in 2018." Good to see we're getting to the really important issues here.

Can Blatter be beaten? "Yes, I think he can be beaten. Before what happened yesterday, no."

Platini says he does not expect to be questioned by Swiss police over World Cup votes: "They already would have questioned me, I'm sure."

On David Gill standing down if Blatter wins, Platini says: "I bring him to FIFA, England has to be in, but what has happened is he's shocked." He adds that other Uefa members could boycott the Fifa ExCo.

It's questions from the floor time, and Platini is asked how many votes Prince Ali will realistically get. He responds by saying minimum 45-46 Uefa nations will vote for Ali "if I trust everybody".
Of himself running for Fifa president, he claims: "I don't regret not running today as I've always committed myself to not running against a friend."

Platini continues: "It's not easy to tell a friend that he must leave. I'm saying this with sadness, with tears in my
According to Platini Blatter told him: "It's too late. I can't all of a sudden leave when congress starts this afternoon."

"Today FIFA is no longer strong. People have had enough. People don't want [Blatter] any more"" continues Platini. On meeting with Blatter, he says: "I told him, Sepp, I'd like to speak to you man to man, face to face."

He adds: “I’m the first one to be disgusted by this. A very, very big majority of European national
Platini is about to start speaking. He begins with a joke about the Uefa press conference being convened to discuss the Europa League final.

Let me also point you to this brilliant article by Alan Tyers, titled 'Lucifer cleared of wrongdoing by Fifa ethics committee as Sepp Blatter awards 2026 World Cup to Hell'
Hell will host the 2026 football World Cup after a Fifa report found “no reason” to overturn the controversial underworld destination’s successful bid.
A 666-page report seen by The Telegraph concluded that Fifa had acted ethically in awarding its showpiece tournament, and suggested Lucifer be compensated with “a really nice wristwatch, one with diamonds and everything” for having been put through an “unnecessary and upsetting” grilling.
Critics had cited the soaring temperatures of fiery damnation as a major concern for a summer sporting event, and accused the damned hordes of carrying out human rights abuses. But during a “fact-finding mission”, Fifa executive committee members found Hell to be a “first-rate facility”. “I could spend an eternity here,” noted one delegate.

Platini still hasn't started speaking, but a few developments coming from Zurich.


Gary Lineker has had his say on David Gill not taking his place on the Fifa ExCo if Blatter is re-elected.

Here's the full story on Blatter rebuffing Platini's request that he quit.
Sepp Blatter has refused a personal plea from Uefa's Michel Platini to quit as Fifa president, according to reports.
The embattled Fifa president is facing for his future after the latest corruption scandal to hit world football's governing body.
Blatter, 79, is seeking a fifth term in office as he prepares to go head to head with Prince Ali Bin al Hussein of Jordan in Fifa's presidential election on Friday.

Uefa are going to be responding to the Fifa corruption investigation in about 5 minutes. We'll be bringing you updates on that, and have a video stream at the top of this live blog.
Another interesting development - Ben Rumsby believes England's David Gill will not take his place on the Fifa ExCo if Blatter is re-elected tomorrow...

Though Blatter may be unpopular with Uefa, he is positively deified by many of the African and Asia countries.
A good illustration of this comes from Guinea-Bissau FA president Manuel Nascimento Lopes who said today that it was "blasphemy" to blame Blatter for the conduct of others.
"I'm a Christian and this is blasphemy," Nascimento Lopes told Inside World Football.
"It's a state conspiracy. People are always trying to knock Blatter. Africa will vote for Mr Blatter and I will follow that. I agree at some point there has to be change but let Blatter finish his mandate and see what he does.
"It's not all about the major European football countries. If you point three fingers at someone, there is always one you point at yourself. Tomorrow we are going to vote for Blatter. How do we know anyone else would be any better?
"I am one of the most anti-corruption people you could meet. No-one can bribe me. Blatter had a team and if the team is not perfect, why should the leadership suffer? Secondly this has nothing to do with Africa."

FA Chairman Greg Dyke arrived in Zurich earlier today, and has been fully on the Blatter warpath, animatedly calling for the President to step down.
He also denied his stance is to try and secure the 2019 World Cup in place of Russia.
Dyke said: "This is absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with an England bid for the World Cup or England hosting the World Cup.
"This is about one thing: how do you rebuild the reputation of FIFA and turn it into an open, fair and honest organisation with Blatter still at the helm?"
He also said the word 'transparency' which sounded quite amusing in his voice.

A reminder that Blatter chaired an emergency meeting with continental soccer bodies this morning while staying out of the public view himself.
Blatter called together leaders of FIFA's six regions.
"There was a meeting today with the president with the representatives from the confederations to discuss the current situation," FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer said in a statement.

Reports from Zuruch that Uefa President Michel Platini asked Sepp Blatter to stand down this morning. Blatter said no

Hi everyone, firstly a quick recap of the main developments today:
The main story overnight was that major sponsors are thinking of leaving Fifa - Visa said it would pull out of commercial deal unless governing body undergoes major reform.
Sepp Blatter then withdrew from Fifa medical conference in Zurich and called emergency meeting.
Former UEFA president Lennart Johansson said England should be given the 2018 World Cup instead of Russia.
Jack Warner, the former Fifa vice president spent last night in jail after being arrested for corruption
Vladimir Putin accused the USA of trying to expand its jurisdiction and attempting to stop Blatter from being re-elected.
David Cameron called for Sepp Blatter to stand down.