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FA's David Gill Walks Out Of FIFA Executive Meeting In Brazil, Calls For Sepp Blatter To Resign

FA's David Gill Walks Out Of FIFA Meeting In Brazil, Calls For Sepp Blatter To Resign
Paul Vale
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Former Manchester United Chief Executive David Gill, who now works at the FA
Mike Egerton/EMPICS Sport

David Gill, the vice-chairman of the Football Association (FA), has walked out of a FIFA executive meeting in São Paulo, Brazil and has immediately called on Sepp Blatter to resign, according to Sky News.

Gill reportedly asked Blatter not to seek re-election and leave office next year. According to The Guardian, Gill was highly critical of Blatter's outburst on Monday that accused the British press of trying to undermine the 2022 World Cup in Qatar because of racism, calling the comments "totally unacceptable".

Asked if he thought Blatter should step down next year, Gill added: "Personally yes, I think we need to move on. I think we need a full, frank and open debate about what FIFA needs going forward."

In reaction to Blatter's "racism" comments, FA Chairman Greg Dyke said: "Many of us are deeply troubled by your reaction (to the bribery allegations). It is time to stop attacking the messenger and consider the message."

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Blatter says he is likely to run for a fifth term

Gill added: "The statement made by Mr Blatter yesterday was from our point of view totally incorrect.

"This was about the issue being raised quite rightly in the British media which should be addressed by the world governing body and to try and portray it as racist or a discriminatory attack is totally unacceptable."

Several federations have been critical of Blatter's rule since allegations of corruption and bribery pertaining to the 2022 World Cup emerged. On Tuesday, the Dutch FA became the latest federation asking that the 78-year-old not stand for a fifth term. Blatter has been FIFA president since 1998.

In an interview in the newspaper Volkskrant, Dutch FA President Michael Van Praag said: "The image of FIFA has been tarnished by everything that has happened over the last years."

Van Praag reportedly went further in a recent meeting with Blatter in Brazil, telling the FIFA president: "This is nothing personal but if you look at FIFA’s reputation over the last seven or eight years, it is being linked to all kinds of corruption and all kinds of old boys’ networks things. FIFA has an executive president and you are not making things easy for yourself and I do not think you are the man for the job any longer. Do you ever look at Twitter? You'd see that millions of people are against you."

The Qatari bid received 14 votes to the United States' eight in the final round of the bidding process in December 2010, and initial cynicism has grown into outrage amongst football followers.

Only last month Blatter, who voted for Qatar, admitted it was a "mistake" to reward the Gulf State the 2022 finals, yet despite growing pressure on Fifa to strip Qatar of hosting the tournament, Blatter told the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Congress in São Paulo on Monday the media reports are a "storm against FIFA".

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World Cup: Greatest Pictures
Chile '62(01 of30)
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English referee Ken Aston tries in vain to reach an armistice during The Battle of Santiago between hosts Chile and Italy. (credit:Getty)
England '66(02 of30)
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Alf Ramsey does his utmost to prevent George Coen from swapping shirts with Argentina's Alberto Gonzalez. The England manager described the opponents as "animals". (credit:Getty)
England '66(03 of30)
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"They think it's all over... it is now." Possibly the most celebrated picture in English football, this is the moment Geoff Hurst became the first (and still only) player to hit a hat-trick in a World Cup final to secure England's victory against West Germany. The wide scale, the scoreboard in the background, the Wembley bowl, the divots in the pitch and Hurst in flight contribute to a genuinely iconic image.
Mexico '70(04 of30)
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Two genuine greats and one great picture.
(05 of30)
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Pelé and Tostão react deliriously after Carlos Alberto smashes in the greatest team goal in football history. (credit:Getty)
Mexico '70(06 of30)
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Pelé jumps into Jairzinho's arms after opening the scoring on his last World Cup appearance in the 1970 final. The brilliant Brazil side is perhaps the greatest to grace a finals, as they scored 19 goals in six matches, including that fourth and final unforgettable team goal at the Estadio Azteca.
West Germany '74(07 of30)
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The greatest team never to win the World Cup? Johan Cruyff, Jan Jongbloed, Arie Haan, Piet Keizer, Wim Rijsbergen, Johnny Rep, Wim Suurbier, Wim Jansen, Willem van Hanegem, Ruud Krol and Johan Neeskens line up for Holland in West Germany. Cruyff's shirt featured two stripes - rather than the adidas three - because Puma supplied his boots. (credit:Getty)
Argentina '78(08 of30)
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Archie Gemmill eyes up Holland goalkeeper Jan Jongbloed before dinking the ball over him to finish Scotland's greatest ever World Cup goal. (credit:PA)
Argentina '78(09 of30)
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Argentina's World Cup final win came amid a flurry of paper and ticker tape, as South American natives decorated Buenos Aires' Estadio Monumental with blue and white. It was the tournament of the Adidas Tango. (credit:Getty)
Argentina '78(10 of30)
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Holland are defeated in a second successive final as Mario Kempes takes the acclaim from a partisan crowd in Buenos Aires. (credit:Getty)
Spain '82(11 of30)
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The colour. Brazil players and fans celebrate Socrates' strike in the 1982 semi-final against Italy. (credit:Getty)
Spain '82(12 of30)
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Harald Schumacher prepares to play the man - Patrick Battiston - rather than the ball. (credit:Getty)
Spain '82(13 of30)
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Marco Tardelli celebrates doubling Italy's lead in the 1982 final against West Germany. Italy's first World Cup win in 44 years, the picture of the Juventus man does not do his elated celebration justice, unlike television images. (credit:PA)
Mexico 86(14 of30)
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Pat Jennings maintains his balance as Josimar's howitzer flies past him and into the back of the net. (credit:PA)
Mexico '86(15 of30)
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"If the first was illegal, the second is one of the best we've seen in this championship," said an understated Barry Davies after Diego Maradona's ingenious solo goal against England. It is testament to Maradona's majesty that the Hand of God - a shameless act of cheating - did not sully his humiliation of the England side. This image illustrates Peter Shilton's own culpability. How could he let a 5ft 5in opponent outjump him? (credit:Getty)
Italia '90(16 of30)
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Claudio Caniggia nurses his wounds after three Cameroonians attempted to upend him, with Benjamin Massing succeeding - and receiving a red card. (credit:Getty)
Italia '90(17 of30)
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Wannabe Colombian sweeper René Higuita is pickpocketed by Roger Milla and desperately tries to catch the Cameroonian, who became the oldest scorer at a World Cup finals 24 years ago. (credit:Getty)
Italia '90(18 of30)
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Frank Rijkaard prepares to spit into Rudi Voller's perm for a second time. (credit:Getty)
Italia '90(19 of30)
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Toto Schillaci does his best Marco Tardelli impression against Argentina. (credit:Getty)
Italia '90(20 of30)
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Lothar Matthäus eschews the West German bundle to console Chris Waddle, whose missed penalty ensured England bowed out of the 1990 finals at the semi-final stage. (credit:Getty)
Italia '90(21 of30)
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Paul Gascoigne welled up when he received the yellow card which would have prevented him from featuring in the Italia '90 final, but sobbed uncontrollably after England were eliminated by West Germany on penalties. England's great heroic failure, Italia '90 remains their most successful World Cup tournament since 1966. (credit:Getty)
USA '94(22 of30)
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Brazilian players jump for joy after their shootout victory in the Pasadena final, as a crestfallen Roberto Baggio stares at the pitch following his missed penalty. Franco Baresi and Daniele Massaro also failed to convert spotkicks for the Italians, but Baggio had illuminated the tournament with five goals. He wasn't the last striker to choke in a final... (credit:Getty)
USA '94(23 of30)
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Cláudio Taffarel raises a triumphant hand while Gianluigi Pagliluca buries his head in his hands after Brazil win the World Cup final on penalties. (credit:Getty)
France '98(24 of30)
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Roberto Ayala is left stunned by Dennis Bergkamp's ingenuity, while Carlos Roa is powerless to thwart the Dutchman's stunning winner. (credit:Getty)
France '98(25 of30)
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Ronaldo, forlorn, comes to terms with Brazil's 3-0 final defeat against France. Regarded as the greatest player in the world, the Internazionale striker suffered a convulsive fit the night before the game and was initially removed from the starting line-up 72 minutes before the match, but requested to play and was reinstated by coach Mario Zagallo. He was a shadow of the tormentor who had plundered four goals already that tournament. (credit:PA)
Japan and South Korea 2002(26 of30)
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Although Ronaldo's redemption in Yokahama was the highlight of the tournament, the enduring image from 2002 is that of Argentina's cowardly wall. Favourites for the finals, the irony of this image is that it was captured during the only win of their disastrous group stage. Victory over Nigeria was followed by defeat to England and elimination at the hands of Sweden. Ariel Ortega (left), Javier Zanetti (second left), Gabriel Batistuta (centre) and Diego Simeone (right) never played at another World Cup. (credit:Reuters)
Japan and South Korea 2002(27 of30)
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Francesco Totti and his Italian teammates are left astonished and apoplectic after referee Byron Moreno decides to flourish a second yellow card and send him off in their round-of-16 match with the Koreans. (credit:Getty)
Germany 2006(28 of30)
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Zinedine Zidane, the greatest player of his generation, was so prone to volatility he was sent off more times than Roy Keane in his career. On his last professional appearance, he was dismissed for headbutting Italy centre-back Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final. Referee Horacio Elizondo had already dismissed Wayne Rooney in the tournament for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho's testicles, and flourished the red card again. Zidane had already announced he would retire after the tournament, and a Japanese photographer captured solemn juxtaposition as he headed for the tunnel. (credit:Getty)
South Africa 2010(29 of30)
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Luis Suárez deputises for goalkeeper Fernando Muslera to prevent Ghana from becoming the first African World Cup semi-finalists. Asamoah Gyan hit the crossbar from the penalty spot with the final kick of extra-time and Uruguay won on penalties. (credit:Getty)
South Africa 2010(30 of30)
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The worst World Cup in living memory, although Spain were the best side at the tournament they were one of the most stultifying. Holland were criticised for their anti-Total Football in the final, but their fouling stimulated a turgid tournament marred by African sycophancy, uninitiated crowds and vuvuzelas. Nigel de Jong's scandalous thud into Xabi Alonso's chest was the most infamous moment of a forgettable final. (credit:Getty)
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