Blatter wins fifth term despite FIFA corruption scandal: Malawi FA president voted
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu took part in the voting at FIFA congress in Zurich on Friday which saw Sepp Blatter emerged victorious once again as president of world soccer’s governing body for a fifth term .
The corruption scandal that has shaken Fifa seemed to play a part as Blatter narrowly failed to win a majority in the first round of a presidential election. Blatter, aged 79, won 133 out of 206 votes, leaving him four votes short of the required two-thirds majority.
Blatter was declared the victor after Prince Ali , the 39-year-old son of Jordan’s late King Hussein, conceded defeat.
“Thank you for voting. I will be in command of this boat called Fifa for the next four years and we will bring it back from offshore to the beach,” Blatter said. “But we have to work on that, and on other things we have to do for Fifa in the future.”
“I am now the president of everybody,” he said.
Prince Ali, who secured the support of many European countries, faced the difficulty of overturning Blatter’s strong support in Africa, the Caribbean and Asia, despite this week’s turmoil.
Blatter remained defiant despite the storm that has engulfed the organisation he has run for the past 17 years.
“All those who voted for Prince Ali, I congratulate you, he was a good candidate. But I am now the president of everybody,” he said.
But several delegates inside the hall suggested that the twin investigations launched by Swiss and American officials into alleged corruption at Fifa’s highest levels could leave Blatter weakened and unable to serve out a full four-year term.
Blatter drew on his considerable reserves of charm and chutzpah to appeal to voters worried about the turbulence surrounding Fifa. What they needed, he said, was a “strong leader, an experienced leader, a leader who knows the ins and outs of the situation”.
He was, he said, the safe choice. “We do not need revolutions, but we always need evolutions,” he said.
Blatter cited God and Allah in his speech, saying they would help guide FIFA out of its crisis.
“I promise you, in the end of my term I will give this FIFA to my successor in a very, very strong position, a robust FIFA and a good FIFA,” he said.
The vote was secret ballot but it believed Malawi FA vote went to Blatter, the Africa’s choice of FIfa leader.–Additional reporting by AP and FT
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
This old man has killed football in Africa. Apart from churches, football is untouchable interms of accountability. All this is attributed by the mafia group called FIFA. They force goverments never enterfere on football matters.
Four things to bear in mind. 1. FIFA is on earth the most powerful corruptive organisation without checks and balances 2. Africa is most corruptive continent with majority ignorant and minority educated who believe in corruption as a better means of survival 3. African FAs voting for Blatter is sign of fear of being exposed of corruption if he leaves. 4. Europe with high literate rate and people there believe in hardwork as a better means of survival does not tolerate corruptionl.FIFA under Blatter has exploited African for its own mafia benefits with cheap developments as football is going down… Read more »
Four things to bear in mind. 1. FIFA is on earth the most powerful corruptive organisation without checks and balances 2. Africa is most corruptive continent with majority ignorant and minority educated who believe in corruption as a better means of survival 3. African FAs voting for Blatter is sign of fear of being exposed of corruption if he leaves. 4. Europe with high literate rate and people there believe in hardwork as a better means of surviva does tolerate corruptionl.FIFA under Blatter has exploited African for its own mafia benefits with cheap developments as football is going down and… Read more »
What are you crying for you loosers? Blatter hasbeen voted for by a majority vote. He hasn’t put himself there. He deserved a win. Bad loosers don’t accept defeat… Pri.nce ali wazituluka inu mukulilab!!! Mulira simunati blatter woyeeeeee
The west want to control FIFA the same way they control IMF and World Bank. IMF continues to impoverish African states with profit s going to western States. They thought Blatter will play ball and do like wise but no. When Blatter is gone he will be revered like Mandela for ever.
“He who pays the piper calls the tune”. Do you think the money for Chiwembe, the artificial turf, etc grew on trees? It came from the same Western countries you so despise. African people and governments want free money and projects – without accountability. It is very childish to think a person can enjoy something without properly accounting for it…
The issue here is that Blatter knows the psychology of Africans. We worship dictators and life presidents, and we have this thing about messiahs. When we get services from FIFA we attribute them not our own efforts but to a messiah figure. We are also not shocked by the fact that a man who is so old he belongs the museum is running for fifth term because this guy is very much like our own leaders. I believe one African even described him as uncle. Its a well known fact that Blatter funnels money to poor nations in return for… Read more »
nganga blatter u are agreat pope of soccer in the world continue developing malawi football.u have raised us
Its a fact that Africa, Asia and South America have benefited a lot in football development from FIFA during the tenure of Blatter. This I think is not an issue here. While we credit Blatter for this, we must not personalise such achievements to him. The achievements, the benefits are from FIFA, not Blatter. For sustainability lets put in “principles” that will ensure flow of benefits to Africa and Asia, with or withour Blatter. Its not sustainable to keep one person in power, as if this is a family organisation. Hey its 7 Billion people in the world. Do we… Read more »
Congratulation to Blatter he deserves the seat. I do hope he will not contest the next elections because he is old enough
Poor campaign by Prince Ali is to blame. If you can’t court the continents with the biggest numbers what do you expect? Blatter won’t finish his term though. His enemies are too powerful. We’re talking governments. He will be in the middle of it all. Already we’re hearing Jack Warner wants to cut a deal; Blatter won’t last trust me.