By Andrew Warshaw in Rio de Janeiro
July 27 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter today refuted allegations by one-time colleague Mohamed Bin Hammam that he ran the organisation like a dictator but refused to get drawn any further into the explosive bribery scandal that snared the former Asian football chief at the weekend.
Anxious not to get embroiled in a tit-for-tat slanging match, Blatter nevertheless used his only press conference ahead of Saturday’s preliminary World Cup draw to defend himself against Bin Hammam’s remarkable outburst that followed being banned for life on corruption charges.
Bin Hammam, who is planning to appeal the ruling by FIFA’s Ethics Committee, claimed that Blatter was a dictator who silenced anyone who got in the way of how he ran world football’s governing body.
During a rambling address, Blatter tried to justify how transparent FIFA had become but in the end could not resist a response to Bin Hammam’s comments.
“I am not alone, I am not a dictator as has been said,” said Blatter.
“I work with my Executive Committee, with my administration, and with a lot of advisors.
“They know what it means to have transparency on one side, and anti-corruption on the other side.
“But I will not make any comments on the decisions of the Ethics Committee, and the follow-up by the media, and I ask you to understand my situation and let FIFA work in compliance with the strong demand of the FIFA Congress to go forward.”
Blatter also gave the broadest hint yet that goalline technology could be introduced not only in time for the 2014 World Cup but as early as July, 2012.
A final decision will be made at the next meeting of football’s rule-making body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), in London next March.
If the IFAB agrees, any national leagues could use scientific aids from July, 2012, ahead of a separate decision to employ technology at the World Cup.
FIFA is currently talking to nine potential suppliers who are conducting tests to meet strict criteria, notably being 100 percent sure within a single second whether the ball has crossed the line.
“We will have on the next international board at the beginning of March next year a final decision on the goal-line technology,” Blatter told reporters.
“If it will prove to be accurate and to be affordable, then it is possible the International Board will decide goal-line technology shall be introduced for the World Cup 2014.”
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