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FIFA President Sepp Blatter was re-elected head of world football on Wednesday, vowing to clean up the body’s tarnished image following a series of explosive corruption allegations. Blatter, 75, was given a free run at another four-year term following the withdrawal on Sunday of Asian football chief  Mohamed bin Hammam, who was later suspended amid claims he tried to bribe voters with cash-filled envelopes. Delegates at FIFA’s 61st congress returned Blatter by a landslide of 186 votes out of 203 after an 11th-hour call for a postponement of the election by England’s Football Association ended in a crushing defeat.

Born-Joseph S. Blatter

10 March 1936 (age 75)

Visp, Valais, Switzerland

Nationality-Swiss

Spouse(s)-Graziella Bianca (2002 - 2004)

Children-Corinne Blatter

Residence-Zurich, Switzerland

Alma mater-University of Lausanne

“We will put FIFA’s ship back onto the right course in clear, transparent waters,” Blatter said after clinching victory. “We will need some time but we shall do it. Our pyramid is strong because the foundation is strong.”Blatter, who took over FIFA in 1998, has faced widespread calls for reform following allegations of sleaze surrounding the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, awarded to Russia and Qatar.
Several key FIFA sponsors had joined forces to call on Blatter to reform FIFA, voicing concern about the damage being done to the image of football by the wave of negative headlines.

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