ZURICH, (Reuters) – Sepp Blatter has added to speculation he may try to stay on as head of world soccer’s governing body but a source told Reuters on Friday the 79-year old still intends to stand down as FIFA president.
Blatter’s comments to Swiss newspaper Blick — in which he said he had not resigned — seemed to be less final than on June 2 when he said he would step down as FIFA president and call a leadership election in the wake of a corruption scandal.
However, a FIFA source close to the story told Reuters on Friday that Blatter’s stance has not changed.
“He is going,” the source said. “He did not use the word resign on June 2 but he did say he was laying down his mandate and that is exactly what he intends to do.”
Blick said Blatter was speaking on Thursday in his first public appearance since the June 2 news conference.
“I have not resigned, rather I am offering my mandate at an extraordinary congress,” Blatter was quoted as saying in the article published on Friday.
A FIFA spokesman said by email: “We can confirm the quotes in Blick are accurate. They are in line with the speech of the President on June 2.”
