Advertisement

Blatter's resignation means U-20 World Cup can kick on

By Greg Stutchbury WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Sepp Blatter's shock resignation as FIFA president should allow people to now focus on events on the pitch at the under-20 World Cup in New Zealand, according to the country's soccer boss and the man heading the local organizing committee. Soccer has been hit hard by the latest controversy involving the world governing body, which saw seven high-ranking officials in Switzerland at last week's FIFA Congress arrested on behalf of U.S. authorities. A total of 14 FIFA officials and corporate executives have been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with running a criminal enterprise involving more than $150 million in bribes. "I wouldn't say it has tainted the (under-20) competition, but it has tainted the brand of football without question," New Zealand Football chief executive Andy Martin told Reuters on Wednesday. "I am delighted this has been taken out of the way this morning, I would just encourage everybody to get behind our boys," he added, referring to the hosts must-win final Group A match against Myanmar in Wellington on Friday. "Their match on Friday becomes a cup final, if we get through it is a huge, huge achievement for everybody involved in football in this country because it hasn't been done before." Martin added the arrests and Blatter's resignation had contributed to the conversation on the sport in rugby-mad New Zealand, though people were also talking about the tournament's high quality of play. Local organizing committee head Dave Beeche agreed. "There is no doubt the media focus has been on what has been happening in Zurich and the quite dramatic changes to the sport globally," Beeche said. "But now the football has started, we're getting great coverage, ticket sales are going well and we are happy with the way the tournament is progressing. "What we have been promoting is that the tournament has been living up to expectations in the quality of the product on the field." Beeche hoped the fallout from the FIFA scandal would dissipate, but he acknowledged the possibility there could be "a few more chapters" come out in the next few weeks. "We just have to focus on what we have to do and that's deliver a great tournament and the football is speaking for itself on the pitch," he said. Blatter was now unlikely to travel to New Zealand for the latter stages of the May 30-June 20 tournament, Beeche added. "It was always tentative until post-election," Beeche said. "We are in close touch with the FIFA people on he ground, but while the expectation was that he would come, things are changing pretty rapidly and we are still waiting on final advice on whether he will come, but that is obviously in doubt with his resignation." (Editing by Alex Richardson)