Dyke delight as Blatter goes

02 June 2015 05:47

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke said Sepp Blatter's decision to stand down as FIFA president is "brilliant for world football".

Blatter's announcement comes after FIFA admitted it paid 10million US dollars destined for the South Africa World Cup to an account controlled by the disgraced former vice-president Jack Warner. The payment followed a letter from the South African FA to FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke.

Dyke, speaking on BBC Radio Five Live, said: "It is a good afternoon! I think it's brilliant for world football. T his is the start of something new."

UEFA president Michel Platini, now one of the possible contenders, welcomed the announcement.

Platini said: "It was a difficult decision, a brave decision, and the right decision".

It is only four days since Blatter, 79, won a fifth term as FIFA president when Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein pulled out of the running in the second round of voting in Zurich.

However, after the development at a press conference on Tuesday, Dyke said: "When I left on Friday I said 'this is not over' - but even I couldn't have thought it'd be over so soon.

"Why didn't he step down last week? Clearly there's a smoking gun of some sort. He's not been honourable in years. Now he's gone - let's celebrate.

"FIFA needs a root and branch examination, we need to know where the money is being spent. It's b een a corrupt organisation for something like 30 years and at long last we've got a chance to change it.

"What matters is can we reform FIFA?"

On the organisation's next leader, Dyke continued: "Th ey must have an impeccable character and be able to run an organisation where corruption has been rife for years.a lot of people could do the job."

Culture secretary John Whittingdale, a long-time critic of FIFA under Blatter said the world governing body now had to implement major reforms.

He said: "Governments, national associations and international confederations, along with players and fans have all called for Sepp Blatter to resign in recent days.

"We welcome his belated announcement today but this is only the beginning of the process of change we need to see from FIFA. I sincerely hope this is the first step to a new FIFA that can command the confidence and respect of the football world once again."

Source: PA