Blatter overcomes corruption claims to win second term as Fifa chief

Sepp Blatter survived charges of corruption and a hostile campaign against him led by Fifa's most powerful executives to win a second four–year term in soccer's top job.

To clinch today's election, Blatter, aged 66, had to promise more transparency in the sport's administration and consent to an internal audit committee, which is split over its support for him.

Blatter received 139 votes to beat African soccer chief Issa Hayatou, who got 56 votes.

Anti–Blatter campaigners in Europe and southern Africa claimed the former Swiss army colonel had run the world soccer body as his personal fiefdom and led FIFA into dire financial trouble.

The Fifa president still faces the prospect of criminal charges after 11 of the 24 Fifa executive committee members launched action in a Swiss Court earlier this month to investigate the alleged corruption.

"My dear friends. It is really with a lot of emotion that I registered, not the result, I registered your deep trust, your deep trust in Fifa and in me," said Blatter, choking back tears.

"You cannot imagine what it means for me, having been during months accused by a certain directed press by saying what a bad man I am ... and you all cannot be so bad. So therefore we are all good," he said.

After rejoicing on stage with his daughter Corinne and his 15–month old grand daughter Serena, Blatter added – in English, French and Spanish – "The football community is not a liar."

Despite losing by 83 votes, Hayatou said he was satisfied with his campaign.

"These very exciting elections, very emotional elections, have come to an end," he said. "I'd like to sincerely congratulate Mr. Blatter now, who has gained your trust. I should like to tell Mr. Blatter that he can count on me as he has in the past so he can work as a president should."

Lennart Johansson, head of the European confederation and a vocal critic of Blatter, said he was surprised at the winning margin.

"He won. He is president," said Johansson, who lost to Blatter four years ago in the presidential race. "You fight in the match until its over and then you accept the result."

Johansson said Blatter needed to live up to his words of transparency and restoring unity.

Johansson was dour–faced when the result was announced and hung back while the others embraced Blatter, only embracing him at the end.

Blatter was first elected president in France in 1998 . The designated successor of former president Joao Havelange, he won by promising national soccer development programs and a World Cup for Africa. Critics said bribes also helped.

In his four years as president, Blatter has played a much more hands–on role than his predecessor, limiting the powers of his general–secretary Michel Zen–Ruffinen.

Blatter has said that the avalanche of criticism in recent weeks is because Johansson did not accept losing the election. He insisted that FIFA masterly controlled the damage from the bankruptcy of its former marketing partner ISL/ISMM, the cancellation of its World Cup insurance in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks and the recent insolvency of television rights partner Kirch.

The ballot was the culmination of tumultuous FIFA meetings in Seoul, where a special congress to examine FIFA's finances – in the wake of damning accusations levelled at Blatter by Zen–Ruffinen – ended yesterday in booing and jeers of the president.

Zen–Ruffinen, who should be responsible for managing finances under FIFA's statutes, claimed he had been denied access to financial data.

He also charged that Blatter had made unsanctioned payments without consulting the executive committee and had manipulated the figures to disguise FIFA's serious financial losses.