ZURICH: Sepp Blatter has no intention of allowing anyone to push or persuade him into stepping down as president of world football federation FIFA until his successor is elected next February 26 writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

He has described the attacks on him as “outrageous” in an interview with the weekly Bunte.

The 79-year-old Swiss also sought to shrug off the pressures of a criminal investigation into alleged mismanagement of FIFA and sponsors’ demands that he quit now.

Blatter said: “This is just an investigation. No charges. I am co-operating with the the process and with the authorities.”

In terms of day-to-day operations, Blatter said: “I’m fine. FIFA is still working well and and the elected president remains in office.

“I assure you that I will stop on February 26, 2016. That is definitely closure but not one day earlier. Then we will have found a really good candidate who will be a great new president.”

One possible contender is the South African politician and businessman Tokyo Sexwale, the 62-year-old who is a consultant to FIFA’s anti-discrimination panel and who heads up the new Palestine-Israel monitoring commission.

Blatter said: “He does a good job. He is a good man.”

The criminal investigation by the Office of the Swiss Attorney-General came in for angry derision.

Blatter said: “[This is] incorrect . . . I appear to have been convicted although there is no evidence of any wrongdoing on my part. That’s outrageous.

“I have always wanted only the best for FIFA. Now I will fight until February 26. For me. For FIFA. I am convinced that the evil will come to light and good will win out in the end.”

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