Blatter left bemused by FA decision to abstain

The FA board yesterday decided to back neither Blatter nor his challenger Mohamed Bin Hammam in the election on June 1, but to register a protest vote by abstaining.

FA chiefs had all but ruled out supporting current incumbent Blatter following England’s 2018 World Cup bid defeat, and last week’s fresh allegations of bidding corruption involving Qatar made it virtually certain the board would abstain.

Blatter queried the decision and said the FA’s special FIFA privileges meant they had a responsibility to play a leading role in world football.

He said in an interview at FIFA headquarters in Zurich: “It is a bit strange when the No 1 association in the world – which is the FA – have two candidates to choose from and they cannot make a decision which one they support. It’s strange.”

Bin Hammam’s own candidacy has been tarnished by claims in Parliament last week that two FIFA members were paid $1.5m to vote for Qatar 2022 – he played the key role in securing the tournament for his country.

FA chairman David Bernstein said in a statement: “The FA board has agreed to abstain in the vote for the presidency of FIFA.

“There are a well-reported range of issues both recent and current which, in the view of the FA board, make it difficult to support either candidate.

“The FA values its relationships with its international football partners extremely highly. We are determined to play an active and influential role through our representation within both UEFA and FIFA.

“We will continue to work hard to bring about any changes we think would benefit all of international football.”

Bernstein met both Bin Hammam and Blatter last month and the FIFA president said he believed his message had convinced the FA chairman – but admitted the rest of the board may have other ideas.

“I explained to Mr Bernstein the part the FA has played in the world of football, especially in the development of modern football and the laws of the game,” added Blatter, who yesterday refused to rule out a re-run of the 2022 World Cup bid vote if bribery allegations are proven.

“This is also about the privileges of the four British associations given in 1946 – four individual votes, one vice-president, half the international FA board.

“They have a lot of prerogatives and rights but with these come responsibility.”

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