'Proud FIFA continues to function during crisis'

Madrid, June 17 (IANS/EFE) FIFA outgoing president Sepp Blatter has said he was proud that the organisation maintains its operation despite the current "crisis," referring to the corruption charges surrounding the soccer governing body.

Blatter considered that competitions like the U-20 World Cup in New Zealand demonstrate the impact of their development programs.

"FIFA is going through difficult times. This makes me all the more proud that our organisation runs smoothly in a crisis," Blatter wrote in a column entitled "The future of football."

Blatter, who has headed FIFA since 1998, explained that "the ball keeps rolling on."

Blatter was re-elected as FIFA president for a fifth term on May 29 but resigned in light of the arrests of senior FIFA officials on the request of the US judiciary.

Blatter requested an extraordinary FIFA congressional session to choose his successor, and it should be help sometime between December and next March.

--IANS/EFE

pku