ZURICH (AP) — FIFA says its presidential election will go ahead Wednesday despite England’s call for a postponement amid soccer’s corruption scandals.
Sepp Blatter is the only candidate and is set to be re-elected to another four-year term. His only challenger, Mohamed bin Hammam, withdrew over the weekend before being suspended on bribery allegations.
Hours ahead of the election, Blatter told his Congress that the worst scandal in the body’s history could be solved within FIFA itself with him in charge.
England FA president David Bernstein said that “a coronation without an opponent provides a flawed mandate,” as he called for a postponement for several months to allow for corruption scandals to be cleared up.
In all, 172 of the 208 delegations rejected England’s call to postpone the election.
