FIFA "has voted down" attempts to consider age and term limits for its executives, in a move that could allow President Sepp Blatter "to continue as president indefinitely," according to Owen Gibson of the London GUARDIAN. The referendum "required a simple majority" to take the proposals forward to next year’s FIFA congress, where they would have "needed the backing of 75% of members to be adopted." Both "were rejected out of hand," meaning the 78-year-old Blatter -- preparing to stand in '15 for another term "despite earlier promising this would be his last -- could theoretically carry on forever." The introduction of age or term limits "was one of seven outstanding reforms listed" by former chairman of FIFA Independent Governance Committee Chair Mark Pieth, "when it was disbanded" (GUARDIAN, 6/11). REUTERS' Andrew Downie reported FIFA "did not give an exact vote count." UEFA "was the only one of the six regional confederations to support the proposals but several delegates called the ideas unfair and restrictive." Haitian FA President Yves Jean Bart said, “We are completely against these changes. We are working in a democratic system and that is the system that needs to prevail” (REUTERS, 6/11). The PA's Martyn Ziegler noted Blatter "faced calls" from FA Chair Greg Dyke and a number of senior European members on Tuesday to keep to his '11 pledge and step down next year, but "he has made it clear to FIFA's 209 member nations that he intends to stand again" (PA, 6/11).
