NAN – Football’s world governing body FIFA on Friday in Zurich, Switzerland re-elected 79-year-old Swiss, Sepp Blatter, its president in a vote overshadowed by arrests and corruption allegations.
Blatter’s rival, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, had withdrawn to give Blatter victory, after the first round of voting had seen Blatter with 133 votes and al-Hussein 73.
The Swiss had fallen seven votes short of the two-thirds needed, but his challenger opted not to contest further.
Seven top FIFA officials had been arrested in Switzerland on Wednesday as part of a U.S. prosecution which indicted 14 people.
Blatter had then, as before, faced calls to resign, including from UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who said in Berlin on Thursday that the FIFA president should quit “the sooner the better’’.
Speaking later, Blatter hailed his victory, thanking all those who voted from him and his rival.
He also hinted that this term in office, his fifth, could be his last, saying “at the end of my term I will give up FIFA in a strong position’’.
The vote took place at FIFA’s congress in Zurich and a candidate needed 140 votes to win in the first round.
The two candidates had earlier delivered final appeals to the electors.
