- Title: SWITZERLAND: FIFA DELEGATES ARRIVE FOR CRUCIAL MEETING.
- Date: 3rd May 2002
- Summary: (U4) ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (MAY 3, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. EXTERIOR FIFA HQ 2. VARIOUS FIFA DELEGATES ARRIVE 3. UEFA PRESIDENT LENHARD JOHANSSON ARRIVES 4. SOUNDITE (English) JOHANSSON SAYS: "No explanation so far, we want to know the truth. We want to know exactly how our finances are, and what they will be in the future. Accusing each other of this and that is not the point. The point is that we want to have the truth, we want to have exactly being told how are finances are. This is our duy to the members of the Executive Committee. What comes out of it we'll see in a couple of hours." 5. CUTAWAY FIFA EMBLEM 6. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) ASKED IF HE HAS RECEIVED AN EXPLANATION SO FAR JOHANSSON SAYING: "Not till now. We're hoping for an explanation today" ABOUT SUPPORTING THE PRESIDENT AT THE FORTHCOMING FIFA ELECTIONS: "It all depends. It all depends on what is reported to us. It all depends on today. We're waiting to hear about everything . We have already another candidate, Issa Hayatou, in the presidential elections." 5. MORE FIFA MEMBERS ARRIVE 6. FIFA GENERAL SECRETARY MICHEL ZEN RUFFINEN ARRIVES 7. SOUNDBITE (English) ZEN RUFFINEN SAYS: "No comments before the end of the day" 8. WIDE FIFA HQ Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 18th May 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ZURICH, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Reuters ID: LVABXZJIS7MHHXBMINM6ZZSH8YF2
- Story Text: Delegates have arrived in the rain for FIFA's vital
Executive Committee meeting which could decide the fate of the
Sepp Blatter, president of soccer's world governing body.
The bankruptcy of two FIFA partners is on the agenda
of the meeting, held behind closed doors at FIFA headquarters
in Zurich on Friday (May 3).
Blatter's prospects of remaining as FIFA president should
become clearer when he comes face to face with his severest
critics.
Less than one month before he takes on Issa Hayatou of
Cameroon in a straight vote for the presidency at the FIFA
Congress in Seoul, Blatter faces a largely angry executive
committee in which his political foes hold a slight majority
that could deliver a vote of "No Confidence" in his
stewardship.
One of Blatter's fiercest critics is UEFA president
Lennart Johansson, who said delegates had received no
explanation so far for the financial problems.
"We want to know the truth. We want to know exactly how
our finances are, and what they will be in the future.
Accusing each other of this and that is not the point. The
point is that we want to have the truth, we want to have
exactly being told how are finances are. This is our duy to
the members of the Executive Committee. What comes out of it
we'll see in a couple of hours," said Johansson.
Asked if he would support Blatter when he seeks
re-election before the World Cup finals, which begin at the
end of May, Johansson said: "It all depends on what is
reported to us. It all depends on today. We're waiting to hear
about everything. We have already another candidate, Issa
Hayatou, in the presidential elections."
FIFA General Secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen is the pivotal
figure in the drama involving the men who run world football.
He has repeatedly claimed in the last three weeks that he has
evidence of critical mismanagement of FIFA's finances and
publicly named Blatter as the wrong-doer.
Zen-Ruffinen is due to hold a news conference after the
meeting.
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