FIFA President Sepp Blatter says the 'entire organisation' is not to blame for 'individual' errors.

The President has delivered his opening speech at the congress that will decide his future and that of the organisation, in the wake of the scandal that saw much of his committee arrested for bribery.

“You will know that right now we are going through troubling times,” he said. “I will not call it unprecedented – also in election congresses such as 2002.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter says the 'entire organisation' is not to blame for 'individual' errors.

The President has delivered his opening speech at the congress that will decide his future and that of the organisation, in the wake of the scandal that saw much of his committee arrested for bribery.

“You will know that right now we are going through troubling times,” he said. “I will not call it unprecedented – also in election congresses such as 2002.

“These events have cast a shadow so let’s try to lift that shadow. Let’s try to lift our spirits.

“We can’t let the reputation of football be dragged through the mud like that. Because they are truly at fault, especially if they are found guilty.

“They are not the entire organisation; certain individuals who have forgotten that Fifa is based on respect discipline and a team sport with the same goal.

“We need to be singing from the same song sheet, especially when we talk of the character of the organisation. It’s our goal to share this respect with all of you.

“We are at a turning point and we need to pull together and move forward. We cannot constantly supervise everybody in football.”

Blatter then stressed the limits of his organisation in supervising the world of football.

“We have 209 members and 300m active participants, men and women. And with families, friend, we reach a figure of 1.6bn people that are directly touched.

“Our stat from last year, the German press said we are wrong. And though often Germans tell Fifa it is wrong, we are at 1.6bn.

“We are a very important entity. With popularity comes responsibly. How can everybody take responsibility?

“There are limits on the pitch of the goal-lines, the sidelines, there’s a referee and a time limit. Outside the pitches there are no geographical limits, no time limits, no referee.

“So who needs to supervise this situation? At Fifa we have controls through our reforms. We set up the ethics committee with two chambers.

“We have separations of power: I welcome the chairman of the appeals committee and the disciplinary committee.

“They are here with us today so they need to be the ones that keep an eye on all these people – and that is impossible.

“It is not good for all this to occur two days before the election. I’m not going to use the word coincidence but I do have a small question mark.”

Byandrea

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