Wednesday 23 October 2013

Sepp Blatter at Large

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Fifa president Sepp Blatter has given his strongest hint yet that he plans to stay on in the role past 2015 and finish "his mission".

The 77-year-old Swiss, head of the world governing body since 1998, also wants to increase the term for a president from four years to eight.

Blatter had remarked in 2011 that this would be his last term in office.

But he said: "I'm now 38 years in Fifa and I have this mission and I want to fulfil my mission."

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live sports news correspondent Richard Conway, Blatter added: "I feel young enough to be in this office and to make this office a success.

"It keeps you young also if you've got a mission. And I've got a mission."

Asked if he would stand again in 2015 he said: "My intention is to finish this mandate. We are just starting the second half of the mandate. So ask me this question next year."

Fifa vice president Jeffrey Webb could be the man to succeed Blatter. He has said he would not run for election in 2015 but would like to hold the position in the future.

Blatter, the only candidate in the 2011 elections after receiving 186 of the 203 votes cast, has also suggested that presidential terms could be increased to an initial term of eight years with potential for a four-year extension.

"This is a good approach and I would support it," he said.

Blatter has suggested that Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) president Webb could eventually replace him as president.

And Webb told the BBC: "Who knows what lies in the future?"

Webb, who is head of Fifa's anti-discrimination taskforce, also called on English football to "take a look in the mirror" over issues of race and diversity.

There are only four black managers at England's 92 Premier League and Football League clubs, despite about 30% of players being non-white.

"I believe when you look at the stadiums, when you look at the fields you see a lot of diversity," added Webb.

"When you look at the English Premier League, you see players from all over - from Africa, from the Caribbean, from Eastern Europe. But it's not a reflection of the benches, it's not a reflection in the boardroom so obviously there needs to be some self-examination, and there needs to be made a conscious effort to provide opportunity."

He said the Football Association should consider introducing a rule similar to American football's "Rooney Rule" where qualified black or ethnic minority candidates are guaranteed interviews for managerial positions.

Webb also suggested that the FA commission set up to investigate how to improve the England national team needed added diversity.

But the 49-year-old from the Cayman Islands confirmed that he would "definitely not" be a presidential candidate for the 2015 elections, although he would consider the top position in the future.

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