The head of FIFA’s audit and compliance unit on Sunday said that changes at the top of world soccer’s governing body were “indispensable” following reports Sepp Blatter might go back on his decision to resign.
“For me, the reforms are the central topic,” Domenico Scala wrote in a statement. “That is why I think it is clearly indispensable to follow through with the initiated process of president’s change as it has been announced.”
Scala’s statement came after Swiss newspaper Schweiz am Sonntag cited an anonymous source close to Blatter as saying he had not ruled out the prospect of going back on his decision to resign after receiving messages of support from Asian and African soccer federations.
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FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) stuck to their official positions, that Blatter had announced his resignation on June 2 and that the CAF had taken due note.
On Thursday last week, the European Parliament called on Blatter to step down immediately and allow for an interim leader to launch reforms in the organization.
However, FIFA have repeated that the 79-year-old Swiss is set to continue in office until a successor is designated, probably by the end of the year.
An extraordinary meeting of the FIFA executive committee is scheduled to take place in Zurich, Switzerland, on July 20, when a date is to be fixed for the congress at which Blatter’s successor is to be elected.
It is likely to take place between December and March next year, according to the audit unit that supervises the electoral procedure.
Blatter was re-elected late last month in Zurich for a fifth term as president, only three days after 14 FIFA officials and partners were charged as part of a corruption investigation led by US authorities. However, four days after that he announced his resignation.
According to Swiss media, Blatter has been in a relaxed mood despite the scandal, which has engulfed the body he has headed since 1998.
One report claimed that he is even pondering hiring top lawyer Lorenz Erni, who was the man who helped film director Roman Polanski avoid extradition to the US in 2009-2010.
In another twist late on Sunday, the BBC quoted a “source close to Blatter” as saying the Swiss could make a bid to stay on if no suitable alternative candidate emerges.
“Everything is open,” said the source, who added that Blatter would hold meetings over the coming days to gauge whether or not he still retains enough support.
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