Sepp Blatter wins Fifa election after Prince Ali withdraws: as it happened
Fifa crisis latest: Sepp Blatter stays president after beating Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan - despite corruption scandal
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7:57PM BST 29 May 2015
Telegraph UK
T19.57
I'm delighted to be able to say that this concludes our live coverage of a fascinating - if not quite seismic - day in Fifa's long history.
Sepp Blatter dances his way into another four-year stint as the most powerful man in football - his opponent Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein did at least take it beyond a first-round vote - but Fifa surely remains in a state of crisis. Swiss and US criminal investigators - plus the UK's Serious Fraud Office - will pursue the cases that were launched so dramatically this week. There will be more questions for football's coverning body - and its seemingly untouchable figurehead - to answer.
Until then, though, I bid you goodnight. It's FA Cup final day tomorrow!
19.40
Look what you've done now Blatter, you've annoyed a two-Michelin star chef:
19.15
Our man Ben Rumsby - who presumably really, really wants some fresh air right now - has filed his report from Zurich:
Football fans around the world were facing four more years of Sepp Blatter on Friday after he defied the worst crisis in Fifa’s history to sweep to victory in its presidential elections.
Football fans around the world were facing four more years of Sepp Blatter on Friday after he defied the worst crisis in Fifa’s history to sweep to victory in its presidential elections.
Blatter marked his victory with a bizarre acceptance speech in which he referenced God, Allah, the need for more "ladies" in Fifa and compared Fifa to a boat.
In his victory speech, he said: I thank you, you have accepted me for the next four years. I will be in command of this boat of Fifa. We will bring it back off shore.
"We need in this committee women. We need ladies. We won’t touch the World Cup. I am a faithful man, God, Allah, whoever, they will help us to bring back this Fifa. At the end of my (four year) term, I will give Fifa to my successor. It will be robust."
He then finished the speech by chanting "Let's go, Fifa!"
19.10
More from Luis Figo, who withdrew from the election eight days ago:
This vote has only served to endorse the election of a man who can’t remain in charge of world football. Instead of what Mr. Blatter said, the happenings of last Wednesday were not bad for football: they were bad for FIFA and for all the responsible that lead the organization until now. Football is not guilty but is the governing body’s leaders, who should regulate it, that have no integrity or honesty.
There’s no way someone can lead FIFA ignoring the most elementary rules of transparency, legality and democracy. These rules were not reunited as I denounced and, later, as I found out. Mr. Blatter knew and was aware of the acts of corruption, influence and racketeering or, if he did not know – as he says – it’s because he has no skills to lead FIFA.
If Mr. Blatter were minimally concerned about football, he would have given up of the reelection. If he has a minimal of decency, he will resign in the next few days. I regret nothing. I fought, I persisted, I made an effort for the regeneration of this organization that has to change course. We live in an emergency situation and football is the damaged party on this. I’ve denounced what I directly lived. I would do it again. And I remain available to help FIFA rebuild after this.
19.02
Sepp Blatter's table for the longest day in football history:
1) "Silence" is a curious brand name for mineral water.
2) Toblerone. You can take the man out of Switzerland (or not, because this was in Zuric.....ah, forget it.)
18.58
As Blatter poses for selfies in the auditorium (seriously), his short-lived opponent in the Fifa presidential race has his say:
18.43
With Blatter now set for another term, Telegraph columnist Gary Nevillesays the players themselves must now make a stand:
At the end of the day, companies will always want to sponsor a World Cup and broadcasters will be desperate to show it. However, there is one body of people that could bring Blatter down that has hardly warranted a mention - the players.
The quickest and best way to bring Blatter down is to take players away from him. You will struggle to take the African or Asian votes away from him, but players can become a unified force.
Just think of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the two biggest stars in the game right now, and consider a World Cup without those two.
The tournament would not exist if Ronaldo and Messi turned their backs on the World Cup because of the way Fifa is running the game. This would impact sponsors and broadcasters and in turn bring this whole debacle of an organisation to a standstill.
18.34
Yeah, that'll do, Sepp...
No, really, Sepp, tha....
18.30
Sepp Blatter and his secretary general, Jerome Valcke, indulge in a brief bout of what can only be described as banter, before Blatter gathers himself for a final statement.
18.26
The moment Prince Ali withdrew from the election:
18.24
Four. More. Years.
18.23
18.22
18.21
Sepp Blatter takes the stand:
18.16
Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein has withdrawn, and Sepp Blatter has been re-elected as president of Fifa
I just wanted to thank all of you. It’s been a wonderful journey. I want to especially thank all of you who were brave enough to vote for me.
18.12
We (might) go again:
18.04
The moment the first-round result was announced, and - if you listen closely - that's the sound of 209 Fifa delegates groaning:
18.03
With three invalid votes bringing the total down to 206, this was the state of play:
18.00
To clarify, unless Prince Ali withdraws, we will have a second vote, with a simple majority all that's required to be elected.
17.57
17.55
HELLO, pt. II
17.52
HELLO
17.43
Our man in Zurich, Ben Rumsby, says the result may be near.
17.40
For reasons as yet unclear, the Fifa auditorium music has changed to this:
It's by Consuelito Velázquez, of course, who - as you know - was a Mexican concert pianist, songwriter and recording artist.
17.37
Here they are, doing the counting. Remember, a majority of two-thirds (139 out of 209) is necessary to win the vote. If that isn't secured, they will vote again.
17.30
That concludes the vote for the Fifa presidency - counting (BY HAND) will be done within the next half-an-hour. Or possibly just begun within the next half-an-hour.
17.27
Wales' vote is in, and Zambia are approaching the booth. It's so nearly over.
17.17
Oh god
17.16
We're up to the Ts now, which begin with Tajikistan and Tahiti, and here's a reminder of disgraced former Fifa executive committee member Chuck Blazer's exceptional fancy-dress standards:
17.07
It's not over yet, not by a long way.
17.04
Fun Swiss-Jordanian fact, as Blatter goes head-to-head with Prince Ali:
At the end of 2012 there were 309 Swiss citizens living in Jordan, including many with dual nationality.
One of those on the hour, every hour, until Zimbabwe's vote is cast.
16.58
Dedication.
16.55
Myanmar secure voting booth 1, while Mongolia must settle for booth 2. What does this mean? Absolutely nothing.
16.51
16.50
Fifa's auditorium soundtrack for this 209-nation epic is this, I'm reliably informed:
Platini's choice, I reckon. Finally, he exerts some influence.
16.45
Jerome Valcke, clearly tiring of verbally directing 209 human beings to his left or right, lets out a weary sigh. That's his week summed up, right there.
16.44
The Bhutanese delegate casts his vote.
16.37
There are some other important appointments to be made, meanwhile:
16.31
"Where is Equatorial Guinea?", pleads the Secretary General. A good question.
16.28
We're well into the Ds now, by the way - Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Dominica...
I'm basically liveblogging the alphabet.
ENGLAND!
16.25
Here was Sepp Blatter's final address before the vote, where he said much the same things as he did in 2011. Still, if it ain't broke...
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