SFA back UEFA’s call to have Sepp Blatter removed

FIFA President Sepp Blatter delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the 65th FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo Picture: Reuters

Regan stated that the SFA have rallied behind UEFA president Michel Platini, who has admitted the controversial President no longer has his support.

Blatter, 78, confirmed he will run for a fifth term when his current tenure expires next June, despite the SFA and UEFA alleging that they had initially only backed Blatter three years ago under the understanding he would leave his post at the end of this term.

The Scottish FA chief executive believes that Blatter has now shifted the goal posts and as such will no longer receive the SFA’s support, he said: “The discussions at Tuesday’s meeting of UEFA members and FIFA president Sepp Blatter have been widely reported.

“As UEFA president Michel Platini stated today, UEFA members gave their support to Mr Blatter in 2011 on the proviso that this would be his last term in office. The goalposts have now been moved on this issue.

“In 2011, UEFA members made it clear that we believed that a change of leadership was needed at the end of Mr Blatter’s current term. The Scottish FA continues to hold that belief.

“As I said following yesterday’s meeting of the FIFA Congress, the Scottish FA was one of a small number of, mainly European, associations that voted in favour of proposals to impose an age limit and maximum number of terms on FIFA presidents.

“The proposals were rejected by the majority of members.

Regan then added that he believed UEFA must offer up their own candidate to replace Blatter, saying: “UEFA must now consider whether to put forward a candidate for the FIFA presidential elections in 2015.”

Platini has yet to confirm whether he will stand as a candidate but it is clear the Frenchman has had enough of Blatter’s reign, he said: “I do not support him. FIFA needs a breath of fresh air.”

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