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| Fifa corruption scandal: Blatter calls for unity before presidency vote | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Fifa president Sepp Blatter has called for unity in a speech to delegates as they prepare to vote on the presidency of football's world governing body. | Fifa president Sepp Blatter has called for unity in a speech to delegates as they prepare to vote on the presidency of football's world governing body. |
| The run-up to the vote has been dominated by mounting allegations of corruption surrounding Fifa. | The run-up to the vote has been dominated by mounting allegations of corruption surrounding Fifa. |
| Seven senior officials were arrested at a hotel in Switzerland on Wednesday. | Seven senior officials were arrested at a hotel in Switzerland on Wednesday. |
| Mr Blatter, who is expected to win a fifth term, said: "I am appealing to unity and team spirit so we can move forward together." | Mr Blatter, who is expected to win a fifth term, said: "I am appealing to unity and team spirit so we can move forward together." |
| "We cannot let the reputation of football, and of Fifa, be dragged through the mud," he told delegates on the second day of the congress in Zurich. | "We cannot let the reputation of football, and of Fifa, be dragged through the mud," he told delegates on the second day of the congress in Zurich. |
| Those targeted by investigations, carried out by the US and Swiss authorities, were "not the entire organisation", he said. | Those targeted by investigations, carried out by the US and Swiss authorities, were "not the entire organisation", he said. |
| Mr Blatter has been called on to quit but has said he is not responsible for the scandal and wants to combat corruption. | |
| In comments in Berlin on Thursday, UK Prime Minister David Cameron said Mr Blatter should quit "the sooner the better". | |
| Challenge | Challenge |
| Fifa's 209 members will vote in the coming hours in a secret ballot on whether to give Mr Blatter, 79, a fifth four-year term as president. | Fifa's 209 members will vote in the coming hours in a secret ballot on whether to give Mr Blatter, 79, a fifth four-year term as president. |
| The only challenger is Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, 39. | The only challenger is Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, 39. |
| In the first round, a candidate must get 140 votes - two-thirds - to win outright. | In the first round, a candidate must get 140 votes - two-thirds - to win outright. |
| If that is not achieved, there will be a second round requiring a simple majority - whoever gets the most votes. | If that is not achieved, there will be a second round requiring a simple majority - whoever gets the most votes. |
| The congress was briefly disrupted by a bomb threat, but the venue was later given the all-clear. | |
| How Fifa spends its money | How Fifa spends its money |
| Mr Blatter, in office for 17 years, enjoys strong support in Asia, the Americas and Africa. | Mr Blatter, in office for 17 years, enjoys strong support in Asia, the Americas and Africa. |
| The president of the Nigerian Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, told the BBC he was 100% convinced Mr Blatter would win, taking "a minimum" of 50 of the 54 African votes. | The president of the Nigerian Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, told the BBC he was 100% convinced Mr Blatter would win, taking "a minimum" of 50 of the 54 African votes. |
| "We know our friends from Asia, our friends from Latin America, so I can assure you it's going to be a good victory for him." | "We know our friends from Asia, our friends from Latin America, so I can assure you it's going to be a good victory for him." |
| Sepp Blatter: The man who won't give up | Sepp Blatter: The man who won't give up |
| Who is Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein? | Who is Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein? |
| The voting explained | The voting explained |
| Prince Ali has the support of most of Europe. | Prince Ali has the support of most of Europe. |
| Responding to the scandal, he said that Fifa needed leadership that "accepts responsibility for its actions and does not pass blame... and restores confidence in the hundreds of millions of football fans around the world". | Responding to the scandal, he said that Fifa needed leadership that "accepts responsibility for its actions and does not pass blame... and restores confidence in the hundreds of millions of football fans around the world". |
| The presidency vote comes two days after seven top officials were held in Zurich in a US fraud inquiry that indicted 14 people. | The presidency vote comes two days after seven top officials were held in Zurich in a US fraud inquiry that indicted 14 people. |
| The US investigation accuses those indicted of bribery, racketeering and money-laundering involving tens of millions of dollars since 1991. | The US investigation accuses those indicted of bribery, racketeering and money-laundering involving tens of millions of dollars since 1991. |
| It includes allegations of bribes to influence the outcome of bids to stage football tournaments such as the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2016 Copa America in the US. | It includes allegations of bribes to influence the outcome of bids to stage football tournaments such as the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2016 Copa America in the US. |
| Former Fifa vice president Jack Warner, who was among those indicted, spent a night in jail in Trinidad before his release on bail of $395,000 (£258,000) on Thursday. He was greeted by cheering supporters. | Former Fifa vice president Jack Warner, who was among those indicted, spent a night in jail in Trinidad before his release on bail of $395,000 (£258,000) on Thursday. He was greeted by cheering supporters. |
| At the scene: Rajini Vaidyanathan, BBC News, in Trinidad | At the scene: Rajini Vaidyanathan, BBC News, in Trinidad |
| A few hours after he was whisked from prison in an ambulance, baffling many who expected him to walk out, Jack Warner addressed a political rally of about 200 of his loyal supporters. | A few hours after he was whisked from prison in an ambulance, baffling many who expected him to walk out, Jack Warner addressed a political rally of about 200 of his loyal supporters. |
| He was in fine spirits as he danced with and embraced many of them. | He was in fine spirits as he danced with and embraced many of them. |
| "Jack is the man", they sang as they danced and clapped. | "Jack is the man", they sang as they danced and clapped. |
| "I, Jack Warner, know nothing about these charges," he told the adoring crowd. | "I, Jack Warner, know nothing about these charges," he told the adoring crowd. |
| In an interview with me afterwards, his first since he was released, he told me he'd never ever accepted a bribe, and that the FBI charges are part of a US vendetta against developing nations after it lost its World Cup bid. | In an interview with me afterwards, his first since he was released, he told me he'd never ever accepted a bribe, and that the FBI charges are part of a US vendetta against developing nations after it lost its World Cup bid. |
| Despite the gravity of the case against him, Mr Warner seemed relaxed. | Despite the gravity of the case against him, Mr Warner seemed relaxed. |
| He is one of Trinidad's most famous names, and the Fifa scandal is the prime topic of conversation here. Not everyone in Trinidad agrees that Jack Warner is innocent, but those who do, believe he's invincible. | He is one of Trinidad's most famous names, and the Fifa scandal is the prime topic of conversation here. Not everyone in Trinidad agrees that Jack Warner is innocent, but those who do, believe he's invincible. |
| Swiss prosecutors have launched a separate investigation into the bidding process for the World Cup tournaments in 2018 in Russia and 2022 in Qatar. | Swiss prosecutors have launched a separate investigation into the bidding process for the World Cup tournaments in 2018 in Russia and 2022 in Qatar. |
| In his speech, Mr Blatter appeared to suggest there would not have been a crisis had the tournaments been awarded to different countries. | In his speech, Mr Blatter appeared to suggest there would not have been a crisis had the tournaments been awarded to different countries. |
| "If two other countries had emerged from the envelope, I think we may not have these problems." | "If two other countries had emerged from the envelope, I think we may not have these problems." |
| England, where the media has sought to expose Fifa corruption, and the US, which is spearheading the latest investigation, lost out to Russia and Qatar in the bidding. | England, where the media has sought to expose Fifa corruption, and the US, which is spearheading the latest investigation, lost out to Russia and Qatar in the bidding. |
| Fifa executive committee member and Brazilian FA president Marco Polo Del Nero has meanwhile left Switzerland and returned to Brazil. | Fifa executive committee member and Brazilian FA president Marco Polo Del Nero has meanwhile left Switzerland and returned to Brazil. |
| Another Brazilian executive committee member, Jose Maria Marin, was among those detained in Switzerland on Wednesday. | Another Brazilian executive committee member, Jose Maria Marin, was among those detained in Switzerland on Wednesday. |
| Many of Fifa's major sponsors, including Coca-Cola, Visa, Adidas, McDonald's, Hyundai Motor and Budweiser, have expressed concern over the investigations. | Many of Fifa's major sponsors, including Coca-Cola, Visa, Adidas, McDonald's, Hyundai Motor and Budweiser, have expressed concern over the investigations. |
| What do you think of the latest developments in the Fifa corruption crisis? What outcome would you like to see in Friday's Fifa presidential election? Are you in any of the regions affected by the scandal? You can share your views by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | What do you think of the latest developments in the Fifa corruption crisis? What outcome would you like to see in Friday's Fifa presidential election? Are you in any of the regions affected by the scandal? You can share your views by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| If you are available to speak to a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number. | If you are available to speak to a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number. |
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