Sepp Blatter will stay in control of world soccer for seven more months after resisting calls to step down immediately ahead of a presidential election, which FIFA decided on Monday will be on February 26, 2016.
A defiant first public appearance by Blatter since his resignation statement last month began in pandemonium as he was showered in fake money by a comedian who gatecrashed the media conference at FIFA’s headquarters.
The interruption provided an awkward reminder of a far more serious incident for FIFA in May, when the arrest of soccer and sports marketing officials plunged the game’s ruling body into its deepest crisis.
Jolted by dual American and Swiss criminal investigations into soccer corruption, Blatter suddenly announced four days after being elected for a fifth term that he would leave FIFA.
"It was not only the pressure of any authorities .. it was also the pressure of political interference and also the pressure of you, media," said Blatter, who is a target of the U.S. investigation. "I had to do something very special and I did it. In footballing terms, I kicked the ball out of the field to stop something."
FIFA’s executive committee decided at a meeting Monday on the February election date and Blatter ended weeks of uncertainty by insisting he would not perform one of his renowned about-turns by in fact being a candidate.
Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, had earlier said: "president Blatter’s resignation cannot be dragged out any longer. He must leave now."
But while Blatter said he felt "regret" about the crises, he insisted he would not be "abandoning" the presidency until a successor is elected. "I am still the elected president by 133 national associations and I will use my mandate as president to make sure that when at the end of February I come at the end of my career." Blatter said.