By Gary Anderson

Sepp Blatter has challenged his critics to run in next year's FIFA Presidential election ©Getty ImagesIn what was a not so subtle swipe at UEFA President Michel Platini, FIFA supremo Sepp Blatter has challenged his critics to stand up and take him on in next year's election as the pressure ramps up for the position of leader of world football's governing body.

Yet to officially confirm that he will seek a fifth term as President, Blatter gave strong indications he would run for election again during the FIFA Congress in Brazil in June prior to the start of the World Cup.

The 78-year-old told the FIFA Congress in São Paulo "my mission has not yet finished", but his intention to carry on in the job has been met with fierce criticism from many leading officials within FIFA, in particular from the powerful European governing body UEFA and its President Platini.

UEFA is unhappy at the swirl of corruption allegations that have engulfed FIFA in recent months, primarily surrounding the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

It is also angry that Blatter appears to have backtracked on a claim he made when elected unopposed in 2011 that his current term, which runs out next year, would be his last.

But the Swiss, FIFA President since 1998, has come out fighting and called on his detractors to take on the challenge of running for the job.

"If I were not criticised, I would not have any value," Blatter told reporters at an annual charity match in Valais, Switzerland, today.

"People who say I should not be a candidate or I should not get elected, they can take the risk to be in an election.

"I took the risk in 1998.

"If you never take the risk, you will never have a chance.

"But if you take the risk you also have the chance to lose.

"Now I say if [other people] want to take the risk then take the risk.

"Don't speak, go out and fight, then you will see.

"That is good.

"I am happy to fight.

"I am a fighter."

UEFA President Michel Platini has criticised Sepp Blatter's intention to run for a fifth term as FIFA President ©Getty ImagesUEFA President Michel Platini has criticised Sepp Blatter's intention to run for a fifth term as FIFA President ©Getty Images



During the Congress in Brazil in June, Blatter was criticised by a number of leading European football officials in a fiery session with head of the Dutch Football Association, Michael van Praag, telling Blatter "you should not run anymore".

Chairman of the English Football Association, Greg Dyke, told the Swiss, "many of us are deeply troubled by your reaction to these allegations" after Blatter claimed racism was behind an investigation led by British newspaper The Sunday Times, which alleged corrupt payments were made to secure Qatar's successful bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Frenchman Platini has publicly stated he will not support Blatter anymore saying: ''I think that FIFA needs a breath of fresh air.''

Platini has yet to declare whether he will run for election in 2015 and has until next January to make his intentions known.

Elections are set to take place at the FIFA Congress in Zurich on May 29.

Many observers believe the former European Player of the Year will decide against launching a campaign for the FIFA Presidency and it is believed UEFA is exploring the possibility of putting forward  van Praag and the German FA President Wolfgang Niersbach as possible alternative candidates to run against Blatter.

While Blatter has lost the support of UEFA, he appears to have solid backing from Africa, Asia, and Oceania.

So far, only former FIFA administrator Jérôme Champagne has officially declared his candidacy ahead of the 2015 elections.

But the Frenchman has already made it clear he will drop out of the running should his former boss choose to run again.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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