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FIFA president Blatter makes apology but refuses to quit

20 November 2011 03:48 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. FIFA president Sepp Blatter has made himself the focus of racism in football. He sparked outrage when suggesting racist abuse on the pitch should be settled with a handshake after the game. OnFriday the embattled FIFA president apologised for his controversial comments but refused to resign despite his head being called for from a number of quarters, APA reports.

Sepp Blatter, FIFA President, said, "Iâ€™m sorry, and I regret that my statements earlier this week have resulted in an unfortunate situation and has taken this dimension."

"I am committed to the fight against racism and I have no doubt about that."

"I want to make it very clear I will not stop until we have stamped out of football racism."

Most recently, Blatter suggested racism in football was not a problem. His comments aroused criticism especially in England where racist incidents in sport still make frequent headlines. The football boss is a controversial figure who divides his audiences.

The past twelve months of his tenure have been a mixed bag - a successful World Cup in South Africa, the promise of taking the Cup to the Middle East in 2022 alongside numerous bribery and corruption charges. He was re-elected president this year, unanimously, after his only challenger was expelled over bribery allegations.