Blatter rebuffs calls to resign, blames ‘individuals’ for FIFA scandal

Embattled FIFA President Sepp Blatter said Thursday the corruption scandal engulfing world soccer's governing body has brought shame to the game, but he sought to distance himself from direct blame.

"I cannot monitor everyone all the time. If people want to do wrong, they will also try to hide it," said Blatter, who is facing mounting calls to quit.

In a defiant speech at the opening of the FIFA Congress in Zurich, where he expects to be re-elected president for a fifth term on Friday, he said there must be no place for corruption of any kind in the game.

On Wednesday, police officers arrested seven FIFA officials in Zurich on corruption charges while authorities in the United States issued proceedings against 18 others allegedly involved in corruption regarding FIFA matters.

Blatter said that he bears ultimate responsibility for making sure the game maintains its integrity. But he sought to pin blame on "the action of individuals," adding that their corruption "has to be stopped now."

"I will not allow the actions of a few to destroy the hard work and integrity of the vast majority of those who work so hard for football," he said.

He acknowledged that FIFA has lost trust and must earn it back. But he again rebuffed calls to step aside for new leadership.

His statements came just hours after Michel Platini, president of the Union of European Football Associations, delivered an emotional plea for Blatter to step down.

"I have affection for Mr. Blatter, and he always said he was like an uncle to me, but enough is enough," Platini said. "If I cannot tell him it is time to stop, then who can? A true friend can tell another friend the reality."

Platini said that during an emergency meeting on Thursday, he asked Blatter to step down. "I said, 'I'm asking you to leave. FIFA's image is terrible," Platini said. "He said that he couldn't leave all of a sudden. I'm saying this with sadness and tears in my eyes, but there have been too many scandals. FIFA doesn't deserve to be treated this way."

He said he hopes that 45 or 46 of Europe's eligible 53 voting nations will vote for Prince Ali bin Hussein of Jordan in Friday's presidential election. "Prince Ali has all the legitimacy he needs. He is young, he is ambitious, and that is why I support him," he said. "He can do some good. He can change things. He doesn't need money, because he is a prince.

"A very large majority of national associations from Europe will vote for Prince Ali, and if they are to be trusted, I believe he will get 45 or 46 votes from Europe. I'm trying to convince a couple who are not convinced," Platini said.

Those votes would not be enough to topple Blatter, but they would send a strong signal of disapproval. Asked if he realistically believed that Blatter could lose Friday's vote, Platini replied, "I think he can be beaten, yes. Before yesterday, no, but after what happened yesterday, yes. Enough is enough. I think there will be a lot of changes."

Blatter has gained a strong ally in the form of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who called the developments "an attempt to block the re-election of Blatter as president of FIFA."

"This is an extremely serious breach of the principles of how international organizations work," Putin said in televised comments on Thursday. "This is yet another blatant attempt [by the US] to extend its jurisdiction to other states."

Al Jazeera and Reuters