ZURICH, June 26 (IANS): World football�s long-time administrator Sepp Blatter has repotedly said he has not resigned as FIFA president.
Blatter apparently stepped down from the post on June 2 just days after getting re-elected for a fifth four-year term under pressure from various quarters following the outbreak of a global corruption scandal within the world football�s governing body.
�I did not resign. I put myself and my office in the hands of the FIFA congress,� the BBC quoted the Swiss newspaper Blick as saying on Friday.
Blatter reportedly said this at a party at FIFA museum recently and is believed to be preparing to stand for re-election as president.
�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,� he said in his speech on June 2.
�Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective congress. I will continue to exercise my functions as FIFA president until that election.�
While the world viewed the speech as his farewell address, he did not use the words �resign� or �resignation�.
He has since reportedly said he has not resigned but simply laid his presidential duties to FIFA�s Congress, which will hold an election to determine the next president on December.
Nine FIFA officials among 14 people are indicted by the United States authorities for financial wrongdoing in a corruption scandal, which is also investigating the role of Blatter.
Swiss authorities have also begun an investigation into FIFA�s bidding process to award the hosting rights of 2018 and 2022 World Cup to Russia and Qatar, respectively.
