I have been reflecting deeply about my presidency and about the forty years in which my life has
been inextricably bound to FIFA and the great sport of football. I cherish FIFA more than
anything and I want to do only what is best for FIFA and for football. I felt compelled to stand
for re-election, as I believed that this was the best thing for the organisation. That election is
over but FIFA’s challenges are not. FIFA needs a profound overhaul.
While I have a mandate from the membership of FIFA, I do not feel that I have a mandate from
the entire world of football – the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and
love football as much as we all do at FIFA.
Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective Congress. I will
continue to exercise my functions as FIFA President until that election.
The next ordinary FIFA Congress will take place on 13 May 2016 in Mexico City. This would
create unnecessary delay and I will urge the Executive Committee to organise an Extraordinary
Congress for the election of my successor at the earliest opportunity. This will need to be done
in line with FIFA’s statutes and we must allow enough time for the best candidates to present
themselves and to campaign.
Since I shall not be a candidate, and am therefore now free from the constraints that elections
inevitably impose, I shall be able to focus on driving far-reaching, fundamental reforms that
transcend our previous efforts. For years, we have worked hard to put in place administrative
reforms, but it is plain to me that while these must continue, they are not enough.
The Executive Committee includes representatives of confederations over whom we have no
control, but for whose actions FIFA is held responsible. We need deep-rooted structural change.
The size of the Executive Committee must be reduced and its members should be elected
through the FIFA Congress. The integrity checks for all Executive Committee members must be
organised centrally through FIFA and not through the confederations. We need term limits not
only for the president but for all members of the Executive Committee.
I have fought for these changes before and, as everyone knows, my efforts have been blocked.
This time, I will succeed.
I cannot do this alone. I have asked Domenico Scala to oversee the introduction and
implementation of these and other measures. Mr. Scala is the Independent Chairman of our
Audit and Compliance Committee elected by the FIFA Congress. He is also the Chairman of the
ad hoc Electoral Committee and, as such, he will oversee the election of my successor. Mr.
Scala enjoys the confidence of a wide range of constituents within and outside of FIFA and has
all the knowledge and experience necessary to help tackle these major reforms.
It is my deep care for FIFA and its interests, which I hold very dear, that has led me to take this
decision. I would like to thank those who have always supported me in a constructive and loyal
manner as President of FIFA and who have done so much for the game that we all love. What
matters to me more than anything is that when all of this is over, football is the winner.

Sepp Blatter tiba-tiba mundur sebagai presiden FIFA setelah baru beberapa hari lalu terpilih lagi. Tanda tanya besar yang muncul mengenai keputusannya yang mendadak itu diyakini akan terjawab dalam hitungan hari.

Blatter mengumumkan pengunduran dirinya di markas FIFA, Selasa (2/6/2015) waktu setempat. Hal itu ia lakukan setelah baru kembali terpilih, untuk periode kelima atau sejak 1998 lalu, pada Kongres FIFA hari Jumat (29/5).

Mendadak dan mengejutkan menilik gelagat Blatter yang tetap terlihat positif dan optimistis menjelang, saat, dan setelah Kongres tersebut. Ia bahkan sempat menyatakan keyakinan bisa membuat perubahan positif di tubuh FIFA yang sejak tengah pekan lalu memang sedang dibelit dugaan pemerasan, korupsi, dan konspirasi terhadap sejumlah petingginya.

Sejumlah pihak mengaitkan keputusan Blatter mundur tersebut dengan spekulasi yang berhembus pada hari yang sama sebelum ia mengeluarkan pengumuman: Sekretaris Jenderal FIFA Jerome Valcke ikut terseret dalam kasus korupsi dan suap.

Valcke diduga tahu mengenai uang suap sebesar 10 juta dolar AS dari pemerintah Afrika Selatan, terkait Piala Dunia 2010, kepada Jack Warner--mantan wakil presiden FIFA yang dituduh ikut terlibat dalam kasus pemerasan, korupsi, dan konspirasi pada saat ini.

Benar atau tidak spekulasi dan dugaan tersebut, sesuatu yang amat besar tampaknya memang sudah terjadi mengingat saat sejumlah pejabat tinggi FIFA ditangkap pada pekan lalu pun Blatter faktanya tetap bergeming maju mencalonkan diri lagi dengan keyakinan penuh.

Apa pun alasan Blatter tiba-tiba mundur, Presiden Asosiasi Sepakbola Inggris (FA) Greg Dyke menyatakan bahwa "Misteri Empat Hari" mengenai keputusan pria 78 tahun tersebut akan segera terjawab.

"Ia berjaya di Zurich, empat hari kemudian ia mundur. Jadi ada apa dengannya, itulah pertanyaan yang menariknya. Saya tak percaya ia mundur karena alasan moral karena saya tak percaya ia seperti itu, jadi ada sesuatu yang terjadi di antara saat itu dan saat ini, yang membuat ia harus mundur," ujar Dyke menerka, seperti dikutip Reuters.

"Saya cuma tak berpikir kalau ia merupakan sosok orang yang tiba-tiba merasakan perubahan moral dalam perjalanan ke Damaskus dan kemudian berujar, 'Oh, mungkin saya bukan orang yang tepat untuk sepakbola'. Ia akan ingin bertahan selamanya jadi jelas-jelas sesuatu sudah terjadi. Dalam beberapa hari saya tak ragu kita akan tahu alasannya," sebutnya.

Sepp Blatter mengundurkan diri beberapa waktu usai terpilih kembali menjadi Presiden FIFA. Keputusan Blatter itu disebut sebagai kabar baik dan juga pelayanan paling bagus dari FIFA.

Dalam kongres FIFA di Zurich, Jumat (29/5/2015), Blatter terpilih kembali sebagai presiden. Tapi untuk periode kali ini, dia hanya menjabat posisi itu selama enam hari.

Blatter sudah memutuskan untuk mundur dari jabatan presiden FIFA, Selasa (2/6) malam waktu Swiss. Pengunduran diri Blatter ini berjarak sekitar sepekan dari penangkapan pejabat teras FIFA karena tersangkut kasus korupsi.

Presiden Bundesliga Renhard Rauball menilai bahwa Blatter memang membuat keputusan yang tepat. Dia juga meningatkan pentingnya kredibilitas dan transparansi di era seusai Blatter.

"Ini merupakan hari yang baik untuk sepakbola. Sepp Blatter sudah melakukan pelayanan FIFA yang terbaik dengan mengundurkan diri," kata Rauball di Reuters.

"Semua orang yang serius ilngin mendorong reformasi FIFA sekarang harus memberikan proposa dengan kontribusi positif untuk menyatukan sepakbola. Kredibilitas dan transparansi harus muncul dulu."

"Sesegera mungkin, solusi yang benar setelah periode pasca Sepp Blatter harus didiskusikan dalam hal konten, struktur, dan personel. Karena sangat jelas: semua masalah jauh dari kata selesai hanya dengan pengunduran diri saja," imbuhnya.

Sumber: detik

Saat mengumumkan pengunduran dirinya, pria berusia 79 tahun itu mengatakan kongres luar biasa FIFA akan 'digelar secepat mungkin' untuk memilih presiden baru.
Blatter baru terpilih untuk masa jabatan yang kelima kalinya pekan lalu, dua hari setelah tujuh pejabat FIFA ditangkap karena dakwaan korupsi oleh Kejaksaan Agung Amerika Serikat.
Namun dia mengakui, "Mandat saya tampaknya tidak didukung oleh semua orang."

FIFA terguncang oleh penangkapan para pejabat dan beberapa pihak lain yang terkait sepak bola dengan dakwaan korupsi, penipuan, dan pencucian uang.
Sementara penyelidikan terpisah digelar pihak berwenang Swiss tentang proses pemilihan tuan rumah Piala Dunia 2018 dan 2022, yang dimenangkan Qatar dan Rusia.
"Saya amat terkait dengan FIFA dan kepentingannya. Kepentingan itu yang utama dan itulah kenapa saya mengambil keputusan ini," tambah Blatter dalam konferensi pers di kantor pusat FIFA di Zurich, Selasa 2 Juni.
"Yang paling saya perhitungkan adalah kelembagaan FIFA dan sepak bola di seluruh dunia."
Blatter didesak oleh badan sepak bola Eropa, UEFA, untuk mundur dari pencalonannya sebelum pemilihan presiden FIFA namun dia tetap maju dan mengalahkan Pangeran Ali bin al-Hussein dari Yordania.

Source: BBC Indonesia

Brasilia - Romario, salah satu mantan pesepakbola top Brasil yang kini menekuni dunia politik, langsung angkat bicara menyusul pengunduran diri Sepp Blatter dari posisi presiden FIFA.

Pria yang sudah masuk parlemen sejak 2010 dan pada Oktober 2014 duduk di kursi senat Brasil tersebut menyebut mundurnya Blatter, yang sudah menjabat sebagai presiden FIFA sejak 1998 dan baru pekan lalu terpilih lagi, sebagai kabar bagus buat sepakbola.

Bukan cuma itu, Romario pun menegaskan bahwa hal itu bakal membuat para pejabat federasi-federasi sepakbola di seluruh dunia, yang sudah menyalahgunakan jabatan dan wewenangnya, kini akan mulai ketar-ketir mengingat keputusan tersebut diambil Blatter di tengah-tengah tuduhan korupsi dan suap yang sedang mengarah kepada FIFA.

"Ini merupakan kabar bagus setelah sekian lama. Pengunduran diri Joseph Blatter dari posisi kepresidenan FIFA mencerminkan awal dari sebuah era baru dunia sepakbola," kata Romario seperti dikutip Guardian.

"Seluruh pimpinan federasi yang korup di seluruh dunia akan mulai merasakan kejatuhan mereka layaknya sebuah tsunami. Saya harap gelombang ini akan cukup untuk mencuci bersih semua korupsi dari otoritas tertinggi sepakbola dunia."

"Kabar bagus untuk sepakbola... Sekarang kita dapat mengatakan bahwa sudah punya jalan untuk perubahan efektif di dunia sepakbola. Dalam dekade terakhir, FIFA sudah sekadar menjadi sebuah mesin untuk menghasilkan uang," tuturnya.


Source: detik

Before I begin, I would like to thank the President. The decision that he has made today was
difficult and courageous. In the current circumstances, this is the most responsible way to ensure
an orderly transition. I know that he has truly acted with the best interests of FIFA and football
in his heart.
I have a great amount of respect for the President and the role that he has played in
championing reform within FIFA. As he has recognised, we have worked hard to put in place
governance reforms. But this has not been enough.
By making this announcement, he has created an opportunity for us to go further than FIFA has
before – to fundamentally change the way in which FIFA is structured.
As the independent Chairman of the Audit and Compliance committee, I am committed to
working to facilitate the implementation of the reforms that the President has outlined and to
putting in place the conditions for the election of a new President.
As the President has stated, these reforms will include fundamental changes to the way in which
this organisation is structured – steps that go far beyond the actions that have been
implemented to this point. I would like to provide you with additional details into the process
that FIFA will follow moving forward.
Under the rules governing FIFA, the election of the President and any fundamental reforms to
the FIFA statutes must be voted on by the Members at the FIFA Congress. The next FIFA
Congress is scheduled for May 2016 in Mexico City. As the President has stated, this would be
an unnecessary delay. In order to facilitate more immediate action, the President will ask the
Executive Committee to organise an Extraordinary Congress in order to elect the new President
and vote upon these reforms.
Based upon the FIFA statutes, a four-month notice is required for any presidential elections to be
held. FIFA must also consider appropriate time to vet candidates and allow them to present their
ideas for the organisation that set forth their vision. Therefore, while the decision on timing of
the Extraordinary Congress and election of a new President will ultimately be up to the Executive
Committee, the expectation is that this could take place anytime from December of this year to
March of next year.
For years, FIFA has worked hard to put in place governance reforms, but as the President has
stated, this must go further to implement deep-rooted structural change. The President has
outlined a number of specific recommendations to achieve this. A number of these steps have
previously been proposed but have been rejected by Members. Today more than ever, FIFA is
committed to ensuring that these changes are implemented and upheld.
As part of FIFA’s work, the organisation will re-examine the way in which it is structured. While
it would be premature to speculate on the outcomes of this work, nothing will be off the table,
including the structure and composition of the Executive Committee and the way in which
members of the Executive Committee are elected. I expect this to be an important aspect of
ongoing reform. As I said a year ago, the structure of the Executive Committee and its Members
are at the core of the current issues that FIFA is facing. Current events only reinforce my
determination to drive this reform.
Many of the issues that have been raised in the past relate to the actions of individuals. In order
to ensure that those who represent FIFA are of the highest integrity, FIFA will seek to implement
FIFA-driven integrity checks for all Executive Committee members. Such a reform was previously
proposed by the Independent Governance Committee but was rejected by the Confederations.
Today these checks are the responsibility of the confederations to which these members belong.
This must change. Confederations actions must be consistent with their speech.
While FIFA operates in line with all applicable laws and international accounting standards, FIFA
recognises that many have questioned the transparency by which FIFA operates. To address
specific calls, FIFA will seek to publicize the compensation of the President and the Executive
Committee Members and will propose term limits for the President and Executive Committee
members.
FIFA is fundamentally committed to change and are determined to address the issues that
continue to undermine FIFA and football more broadly.
Today, the President communicated his decision to all 209 Members. Now is the time for FIFA to
move forward. There is significant work to be done in order to regain the trust of the public and
to fundamentally reform the way in which people see FIFA. These steps will ensure that the
organization cannot be used by those seeking to enrich themselves at the expense of the game