16 Jun 2015

Blatter could stay on

5:53 am on 16 June 2015

Sepp Blatter could still perform a U-turn on his promise to stand down as president of FIFA.

That's the opinion of a former adviser, Klaus Stoehlker, who has said Blatter could remain head of world football's governing body in the absence of a "convincing candidate" to replace him.

FIFA Congress in Zurich, Switzerland 2011. FIFA President Sepp Blatter with Prince Ali bin al-Hussein - FIFA vice-president of Jordan.

Sepp Blatter (right) with Prince Ali bin al-Hussein at a 2011 FIFA Congress. Photo: Photosport

Blatter was re-elected for a fifth term as FIFA president late last month when his opponent Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein withdrew after the first round of voting.

Four days later, as corruption allegations continued to batter FIFA, Blatter said he would stand down and call a new election, due to be held between December and February.

The FBI is investigating bribery and corruption within FIFA, including scrutiny of how world football's governing body awarded World Cup hosting rights to Russia and Qatar.

Stoehlker, who advised Blatter during the recent election campaign, told Sky News that Blatter could remain head of world football governing body if a "convincing candidate" to replace him did not emerge.

Stoehlker, who Sky News says stressed he is not an official spokesman, was in a meeting when contacted by Reuters and unable to comment immediately.

Switzerland's Schweiz am Sonntag newspaper reported on Sunday that 79-year-old Blatter may seek to stay on.

FIFA refused to be drawn when contacted by Reuters, saying only that "Klaus Stoehlker's mandate from the FIFA President ended on 31 May 2015" and emailing a link to Blatter's two-week-old resignation speech.

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