Gill to reject role if Blatter wins

28 May 2015 03:17

David Gill will refuse to take up Britain's FIFA vice-presidency if Sepp Blatter wins a fifth term as president on Friday.

The FA vice-chairman and Manchester United director said it would be "futile" to serve under Blatter if he did not realise the "seismic" events of this week were a resignation issue.

Gill, speaking after two days which has seen seven FIFA officials arrested in Zurich and 18 people indicted by US authorities on corruption charges, said he would not attend Saturday's FIFA executive committee meeting if Blatter beats Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan on Friday.

Gill said: "Seismic events happened yesterday and if he [Blatter] can't see the enormity of what has happened and resign then I recognise that to be on that body would be futile.

"I don't think that is right for me and more importantly I don't think that's right for UEFA and football.

"In Prince Ali we have a very credible and plausible candidate who can take FIFA forward and I would be delighted to work for him in a new FIFA."

UEFA president Michel Platini has not ruled out the possibility of a World Cup boycott by European countries if Blatter wins, but Gill said that it would be wrong to make the fans suffer.

Gill added: "That's a discussion to be had by everyone in UEFA.

"All the options will be looked at but ultimately it's for the fans. The fans like the World Cup, the fans like the big games so that's to me a measure of last resort and I don't think we will get there.

"We should ensure the World Cup goes on, we had a great World Cup last summer - apart from for England - and we need to move on so let's see what other avenues are open. Why should the fans and the players suffer because of maladministration - I don't think they should."

Source: PA