Sepp Blatter has insisted that Fifa is not in crisis, despite the “great damage” done to its image by ongoing corruption allegations.
“Football is not in a crisis, only some difficulties,” said the Fifa president.
Blatter brushed off suggestions, from the British government among others, that Wednesday’s presidential election – for which he is the only candidate – should be suspended.
“If governments try to intervene then something is wrong,” he said.
“I think Fifa is strong enough that we can deal with our problems inside Fifa.”
Blatter, unusually appearing alone at a news conference in Zurich, gave a defiant display despite the storm surrounding the organisation.
But he ended the news conference in an angry exchange with a German reporter and talked of his time working as a journalist, complaining about a lack of “respect” from some members of the media, warning them: “We are not in a bazaar; we are in Fifa’s house.” (BBC)
