Legal action dropped against FIFA boss Blatter

The rebellion against corruption in FIFA is over after eleven executive committee members dropped a legal action against president Sepp Blatter.

Blatter won four more years in office two days ago and is now free of the threat of legal action and possible criminal charges against him after the committee members ended a Zurich court action after an emergency meeting last night.

FIFA general secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen was also sacked at the meeting after he led a campaign against corruption and clashed repeatedly with Blatter.

Zen-Ruffinen will leave FIFA at the start of July.

He remains on the World Cup organising committee for the next four weeks which he has served on for the past six years.

"The FIFA Executive Committee, meeting in Seoul on the opening day of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan, has reached an agreement with FIFA General Secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen, with regard to their contractual relationship.

"It was mutually agreed that this relationship should end on 4th July 2002.

"Those present at the meeting of the 11 Executive Committee members who had initiated legal proceedings against FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter agreed to withdraw the action immediately," said FIFA on its web site.

The court action started after Zen-Ruffinen presented a report to the executive committee detailing financial mismanagement, illegal payments and corruption by Blatter who it was claimed led FIFA with a secret team of advisers.