FIFA President Sepp Blatter May Stay On Extra Term, Says He Will Not 'Abandon This Boat'

FIFA President Sepp Blatter gave his strongest hint yet that he may stay on for another four-year term as president beyond '15, and said that the scale of reform facing FIFA "needed time," according to Simon Evans of REUTERS. Blatter, 77, has indicated in the past he would not stand for a fifth consecutive term in two years' time, but said on Friday that he would not "abandon this boat" before he was sure FIFA was in the right shape. After attending CONCACAF's congress Blatter said, "We are not over with our reform because we have a first part, we have all the dangers that are in football like match-fixing and so on but we also have to have a look at the political organization of FIFA." Asked directly if he wanted to be sure of global balances being in place before he would move on, Blatter said, "Absolutely, but it will take more time than just to go to the congress and say 'applaud'" (REUTERS, 4/20).