The 78-year-old, who looks more than likely next year to be re-elected for a fifth term as President of world football's governing body, said he had "given my principle" at last February's IOC Session in Sochi.

There, the FIFA President had argued that imposing age limits on sports administrators was an "act of discrimination".

Having put his point of view in Russia, however, Blatter said he was "now...a team player here".

He went on: "I am in the Olympic Movement, in the Olympic Committee.

"It was the huge majority and especially the committee who have decided that.

"So I agreed because I am a team player."

His decision to move on and go down without a fight, is likely to be widely interpreted as the first chink in the armour of a veteran sports administrator who has come under mounting pressure in recent months because of the various controversies swirling around FIFA.

At this moment, nonetheless, he remains red-hot favourite to extend his FIFA mandate, which began in 1998, for a further four years.

Sepp Blatter claimed he had not protested about being forced to step down as an IOC member when he reaches 80 because he is "a team player" ©IOC

The recommendation approved by IOC members allows the organisation's ruling Executive Board to offer a one-time extension of a member's term of office for a maximum of four years applied only to those beyond the current age limit of 70.

The extension is to be applied in a maximum of five cases at a given time, and excludes those, like Blatter, who are able to remain in sport's most powerful club until the end of the year in which their 80th birthday falls by virtue of having become members in 1999 or earlier.

Two other FIFA Executive Committee members - Issa Hayatou of Cameroon and Lydia Nsekera of Burundi - are also IOC members.

Hayatou, however, will attain the age of 70 in 2016.