Blatter and UEFA try to halt feud

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA boss Lennart Johansson have tried to publicly end their bitter feud.

Johansson was re-elected today unopposed for another term as UEFA president while Blatter is trying to play down claims of financial mismanagement and vote-rigging as he seeks a second term as the World governing body's leader.

Johansson has backed African confederation president Issa Hayatou to be new FIFA president and has raged over Blatter's decision to axe an independent financial review of the FIFA's money problems following the collapse of its marketing wing ISL/ISMM last year.

Rumours of a $320 million debt incurred by FIFA and heavy borrowing against future World Cup earnings have dented Blatter's campaign but he retains significant power bases in the Americas, South America and Asia.

Blatter is now asking for an end to his disagreements with Johansson and UEFA and is denying he intends to strip places at the World Cup finals in future from European teams and hand them to his political allies in Asia and central America.

"Allow me to take this opportunity to brush aside once and for all those pernicious rumours that it is my intention to reduce the importance of European football. I would be a fool to do so," Blatter claimed today.

"I call for unity and solidarity in respect of democracy, two qualities which have a habit of escaping those who are responsible for running football," he said.

"It would be better if the problems expressed in public were dealt with internally.

"The world football family is under threat and on the eve of the World Cup we have to prove that football can contribute towards peace.

"I demand of all the football family including you in Europe to contribute to this unity.

"You in Europe have a crucial role to play. Let us forget our internal quarrels and sort them out within the bosom of our family.

"Without peace in Europe we will not be able to solve all our problems."

"I would like there to be a strong and harmonious relationship between UEFA and FIFA," said Johansson.

"We would like to improve our co-operation and not look for new avenues of discord.

"The key to the future lies in closer relations between the confederations and FIFA and in that respect Europe has many things to offer.

"Harmony and co-operation must be strengthened and that must be based on transparency.

"It is imperative we trust each other and stay united."

Hayatou threatens sweeping reforms if he is elected:

"FIFA has to be publicly accountable, to open its accounts to the members, to the public, to the press. That's why I propose a maximum two terms for the president.

"There must be a better distribution of World Cup places. Europe will not lose any World Cup places but there must be more justice in the system for smaller countries to benefit."

Whether the FIFA elite are keen to vote for public accountability should become clear in the May 28th vote in Seoul to elect its president.

Former France and Juventus star Michel Platini has been elected onto the executive committees of both FIFA and UEFA. He won a UEFA vote 20-7 against Norwegian Per Ravn Omdal who was once regarded as a possible successor to Johansson.

FIFA delegates handed Platini a foothold on power with a 28 out of 51 vote meaning the Frenchman only avoided defeat by two votes. Platini has close links with Blatter and has acted as an adviser to the FIFA president .