Blatter refutes bribery accusations

PARIS, June 10: Fifa's new president Joseph Blatter vehemently refuted accusations of bribery in connection with his election as head of foo...

PARIS, June 10: Fifa8217;s new president Joseph Blatter vehemently refuted accusations of bribery in connection with his election as head of football8217;s world governing body, a Fifa statement said today.

Blatter had a long personal talk today with Lennart Johansson, the man he beat in the election, to clarify the issue. Johansson emphasises that he, at no time, made any accusation of bribery against Joseph S Blatter, the statement said.

Fifa spokesman Keith Cooper earlier said both Blatter and Johansson deeply regretted the fact that these accusations are being made.

The new Fifa reaction follow reports of payments made to some national football federations ahead of Monday8217;s vote which Blatter won by 111 to 80.Fifa issued a statement late yesterday from Blatter in which he firmly denied reports of manipulation in the presidential campaign.

The latest statement said that serious accusations had been made in the media against the new Fifa president.

8220;As was already announced yesterday, Blatter vehementlyrefutes these accusations. Fifa and Blatter blame the instigators for damages they have thus sustained,8221; it said.

8220;Johansson, the president of the European football union Uefa, dissociates himself completely from these allegations and vows to continue to cooperate with Joseph S Blatter in his role as the new Fifa president.8221; Fifa said the issue was therefore closed and intended to make no further statements on it but concentrate all its efforts on running the World Cup.

Story continues below this ad

Cooper had earlier said Fifa first statement had been composed very deliberately. Blatter categorically rejected rumours of manipulation of the vote at the congress, Cooper said.

The statement had not said who was supposed to be doing the alleged manipulating or who was benefiting. A Swedish daily newspaper reported yesterday that 50,000 payments had been made at an undisclosed time before Monday8217;s election.

Blatter, Fifa8217;s secretary general for 17 years, reportedly said they were cash prepayments of disbursements to federation,in particular, financial difficulties which had been agreed in advance.

Johansson, the president of the European football union Uefa, had raised the issue at a news conference on Sunday, but had declined to speculate about the reasons.

Story continues below this ad

Blatter has succeeded Joao Havelange, who was president of Fifa for 24 years.His last presidential act will be to present the World Cup on July 12 to the captain of the winning side.