English FA chairman Dyke says Blatter must quit FIFA presidency

By foxsports
Published

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke has called for Sepp Blatter to go as FIFA president and dismissed any chance of England being installed as replacement World Cup hosts in three years' time.

FIFA is in crisis following the arrests of seven officials including two vice-presidents which prompted former UEFA president Lennart Johansson to say that England could take over as 2018 World Cup hosts from Russia.

Dyke, speaking in Zurich ahead of the FIFA Congress, said: "This is absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with an England bid for the World Cup or England hosting the World Cup.

"This is about one thing: how do you rebuild the reputation of FIFA and turn it into an open, fair and honest organisation with Blatter still at the helm?"

Dyke added: "Blatter has put out a statement saying now is the time to start rebuilding the trust in FIFA. There is no way of rebuilding trust in FIFA while Sepp Blatter is still there.

"Sepp Blatter has to go. He either has to go through a resignation, or he has to be outvoted or we have to find a third way.

"It will be interesting to see how many other sponsors come out and say things like that.

"I think the time has come where the damage this has done to FIFA is so great that it can't be rebuilt while Blatter is there so UEFA has got to try to force him out."

One of FIFA's leading sponsors VISA has said it will reassess its deal with the world governing body unless reforms are implemented.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter (L) talks to Greg Dyke at the English FA's 150th Anniversary Gala Dinner in 2013.

Blatter is due to face Prince Ali Bin al Hussein of Jordan in FIFA's presidential election on Friday, with the 79-year-old seeking a fifth term in office.

UEFA has called for the election to be postponed for six months but Prince Ali is understood to be confident and wants the vote to take place. UEFA's member associations are meeting later on Thursday in Zurich to draw up a strategy.

UEFA said in a statement on Wednesday the events were "a disaster for FIFA'' and called for a change of leadership. The statement added: ''These events show, once again, that corruption is deeply rooted in FIFA's culture."