JUNE 3 (Reuters) — Sports world shocked by the news of FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, resignation on Wednesday (June 3).
The 79-year-old Swiss, who beat challenger Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan in last week’s vote, resigned on Tuesday (June 2) in the wake of a corruption investigation that reportedly may include the embattled chief himself.
In Japan, Kozo Tashima, the Vice President of the Japan Football Association, called for urgently needed reforms and change in personnel in FIFA following news of Blatter’s resignation.
“We need new reforms and new personnel to join us in order to sweep away this bad image and reputation,” Tashima told reporters in Tokyo on Wednesday (June 3).
He also questioned the timing of Blatter’s resignation.
“We need to know why (Sepp) Blatter resigned at this point in time. He said that he didn’t think that he had the support of most people in the soccer world, but that is something we all knew before the elections. I don’t think that is something that changes over two or three days after the election,” Tashima said.
In Thailand, Thai news reported on the reaction from Union of European Football Associations (EUFA) president, Michel Platini, regarding Blatter’s resignation.
Thai Sports news reported that Platini believed Blatter resignation is the right thing to do.
Blatter, who has led soccer’s world governing body since 1998, is being investigated by U.S. prosecutors and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a person who spoke on condition of anonymity told Reuters late on Tuesday.
An FBI spokesman declined to comment.