Sepp Blatter has announced that he was standing down as president of Fifa after a week of scandal engulfed football’s governing body.
Blatter, who has been President since 1998 and won a fifth term at last week’s elections, called an extraordinary congress “as soon as possible”, saying “a new president will be elected to follow me”.
However, in a hastily arranged press conference on Tuesday he announced his resignation.
“FIFA has been my life…what counts most for me is FIFA and football around the world,” Blatter said.
“An extraordinary congress is to be called to elect my successor as soon as possible. My mandate does not appear to be supported by everybody,” Blatter said.
Blatter announced that he will lay down his mandate at an extraordinary elective Congress.
Until that election, he continues to carry out his functions.
The FIFA President also announced a significant reform programme to be driven by Domenico Scala, the Independent Chairman of FIFA’s Audit and Compliance Committee.
In May, the Ethics Committee of Fifa had banned 11 top officials including its executive members from all football-related activities.
The banned individuals are: Jeffrey Webb, Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Costas Takkas, Jack Warner.
Others are Eugenio Figueredo, Rafael Esquivel, José Maria Marin, Nicolás Leoz, Chuck Blazer and Daryll Warner.
These individuals were indicted and arrested on bribery and racketeering charges relating to the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.