Blatter says he hasn't resigned as FIFA president

Sepp Blatter on Friday insisted that he has not resigned as FIFA president despite announcing his plans to step down over the organisation's corruption crisis three weeks ago.

The 79-year-old, who was re-elected FIFA president at the body's meeting in Zurich, was believed to have resigned amidst the corruption scandal engulfing the sport's governing body.

Blatter was quoted in a local Swiss daily saying that he hasn't resigned, while maintaining that he had put himself and his office in the hands of the FIFA congress, the BBC reported.

Meanwhile, Swiss authorities and the United States have launched separate criminal proceedings into FIFA's awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Blatter had earlier stated that he had decided to lay down his mandate at an extraordinary elective congress, but insisted that he would continue to exercise his functions as president until the re- election.