Videos Live Scores Podcasts Opinion Interviews Business of Sport Inside Story Football Cricket Tennis Formula One Golf NBA UFC UAE Racquet Sports Fitness

EU parliament urges Sepp Blatter to quit FIFA job immediately

Sport360 staff

15:39 11/06/2015

The European Parliament called Thursday on Sepp Blatter to step down immediately as FIFA president and allow for an interim leader to launch reforms in football’s governing body.

– #Quiz360: Thursday – WIN Vivitar Action Camera
– Sport360: NSL football launched to let youngsters shine
– Zabaleta: Failure not an option for Argentina

In a show of hands, members of parliament overwhelmingly voted for the resolution during a plenary session in Strasbourg, France. The resolution is not legally binding, but amounts to political pressure. 

In the wake of a massive corruption scandal, Blatter, 79, tendered his resignation on June 2 but it will not take effect until December at the earliest.

In the text approved by parliament, legislators welcomed Blatter’s resignation that came just four days after he was re-elected as head of FIFA for a fifth term.

But it expressed serious concern “that the credibility of FIFA, as world football’s governing body, and the urgent reforms required, cannot begin in earnest until a new leadership is appointed.” 

Since that might not happen for another nine months under FIFA rules, the draft “therefore calls on FIFA to select, in a transparent and inclusive way, an appropriate interim leader to replace Joseph Blatter forthwith,” it added.

Football’s governing body was plunged into a crisis at the end of May when 14 current or former FIFA officials and sports marketing executives were charged in Zurich, Switzerland as part of a US investigation into alleged corruption.

The fallout led to Blatter’s resignation, but his replacement will not be known until December at the earliest, leaving the organisation in limbo in the meantime.

More from Football

From Morocco to Abu Dhabi: Zakaria El Jamari’s incredible martial arts journey

French-Algerian Anissa Meksen gets chance to be first to claim new ONE Championship gold

Adrian Lee’s ONE Championship debut confirmed as he looks to further family legacy

NBA 3X ABU DHABI an unparalleled success with legends LaMarcus Aldridge and James Worthy in attendance

ONE Friday Fights 59: French-Algerian looks to maintain KO momentum in headliner

New ONE Championship king Alexis Nicolas ready to fight ‘the world’

Most Popular