| MUMBAI:
Soccer's governing body Fifa president Sepp Blatter has vowed to resist a challenge
to his leadership from Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohammad Bin
Hammam. Hammam
is considering contesting the Fifa presidential election next year.
Bin
Hammam told the AFC conference in Seoul this week that the time has come to put
forward an Asian candidate. Hammam retained the AFC presidency last year following
a contest with Bahrain's Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa, whose campaign
was backed by the Fifa VP Chung Mong-joon.
Blatter,
meanwhile, said that he expected multiple challengers when he seeks re-election
in June 2011. But he vowed to push on with his own candidacy. "Now it is
obvious there will be candidates for the Fifa presidency in 2011 -- a candidate
from Asia. I have not changed my position. I am still here, and I hope to still
be here in 2011. I have not now finished my mission, and if the Congress will
decide so, I will be at their disposal."
Blatter has also been quoted in media reports saying that the 2010 World Cup in
South Africa will be a beautiful World Cup. However his general secretary Jerome
Valcke has warned that 800,000 tickets were still going begging.
He has expressed concern
that high ticket prices are proving to be a turn off for fans. Fifa originally
expected 500,000 visitors to South Africa during the tournament but was now revising
that figure downward. The event will air on ESPN Star Sports in India. | 
