Blatter Needs Fourth Term to Complete his ‘Mission’ for Soccer

FIFA President Sepp Blatter claims that he needs four more years in the role in order to finish his “mission”, which involves using soccer as a force for good in society and helping develop the sport in the less wealthy countries around the world.

Blatter has been at the head of FIFA since 1998 but faces opposition from Qatari national and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed Bin Hammam if he is to be re-elected for a fourth time this summer.

The Swiss has since revealed that if he were to win the elections, the upcoming four-year term would be his last, and he would step down in 2015.

After making the announce he spoke to insideworldfootball, stating: “It’s a very easy decision to explain.

“There is a moment when you come to the end of the mission you have. I have realised I have just passed 75 years [on March 10] and I think if the Congress will give me the four years to come I will be 79 and that’s enough.

“I know that the years do not exactly indicate the age of somebody. But this would be the right time.

“This will be the time to also see what kind of heritage can be left to FIFA and who can take over that.”

FIFA has been laced with controversy under Blatter’s reign, although the sport has become even bigger, the World Cup has expanded and the sport has never been richer, at least in Europe, though he claims he is not seeking any personal credit.

“If they recognise that football has done something then that is enough, they do not need to recognise the person who is at the helm of football.

“But if they have not realised what football has achieved so far then something is wrong in the family of football.”

Blatter has been preaching his “mission” around the world, most recently on a recent trip to South East Asia, telling insideworldfootball: “If I have this four years they will be really focused on the implementation of the football in the social culture aspect of our lives.

“It means more than just developing the game but bringing the values of football – which is respect, discipline, fair play, fighting play – into society.

“That is why we need to work with the Governmental authorities and also, on the side, the educational authorities and the health ministries.

“We need also to recognise the educational element of football and to bring it into school level. In all the countries I have been travelling I am always insisting that we have to bring football and school together.

“This is what we are doing with the Centres of Hope in Africa where we have football alongside school and medical care. This is the mission I would like to implement.

“The development of football has been done such a lot that, in every corner of the world, football is played. With the big competitions – and the small competitions – we provide emotion, passion to the population.

“So now we need to give them something a little more in-depth. That is the mission. It is not new. It’s a mission I have been speaking about at the Congresses where I have been speaking – but I need the four years.”

Blatter’s message is unashamedly directed at the poorer members of the world governing body, with each gaining one vote in the presidential elections:

“I’m not speaking about the rich European countries. I am speaking about the 190 countries in the world that need a lot of help. We have the resources.”