Sepp Blatter Quotations

Racism and discrimination of any kind have no place in football.

Racism is if there are spectators or, outside the field of play, there are movements to discrimination, but, on the field of play, I deny that there is racism.

FIFA's goal of making the world a better place through football cannot be achieved through our efforts alone - equally important is the power which every fan of the beautiful game has at their disposal.

Fifa cannot sit by and see greed rule the football world. Nor shall we.

FIFA stands for discipline, respect, fair-play, not just on the field of play, but in our society as well.

As long as you've got serious investors who wish to put money into football, I applaud. It proves that football is attractive. What upsets me, what I find scandalous, is when clubs accept fools.

The source of wealth is from individuals with little or no history of interest in the game, who have happened upon football as a means of serving some hidden agenda.

There is a movement in club football, which I don't necessarily consider a prime example of solidarity, because it leads us to conclude the rich are getting richer and they are using everything in the market to create an exodus from Africa.

What I am most proud of is the legacy of hope that FIFA and football leaves around the world. It makes all of the efforts and energy I pour into this job worth it.

What we have to do is to find a solution that the interests of the national teams are respecting the interests of the clubs. And also the clubs they shall respect the interests and the aspirations of national teams.

I have no problem with G14. How can I oppose something that as far as I am concerned, does not exist?

It is very important that football can see beyond religion but FIFA does not just ignore its impact.

The important thing for me was that the World Cup should travel round the world.

Liverpool have won everything but never a World Championship. I am sure in the future they will once again make the effort to win the tournament. They have had good rhythm in the Premier League this season.

Because I love football and I love the footballers.

The World Cup must remain the number one competition, because it is our only source of money and, with that money, we can develop football in the whole world.

Yes, in general, I think there is too much club football on TV.

Why is it good for football to take the excitement away from fans by overcharging them for tickets to see their team?

It's up to the national associations and their leagues to limit the entry of foreign players.

What logic, right or economic necessity would qualify a man in his mid-20s to demand to earn in a month a sum that his own father - and the majority of fans - could not hope to earn in a decade?

With this legal opinion, which FIFA itself sought, CAS has laid the foundations for resolving any differences that exist with regard to the World Anti-Doping Code.

The only way to fight this is to do exactly what we have done when it came to violence. We have to take away the points because it happens in those leagues where the money is sufficient so, even if you gave a fine of $100,000, it would be paid the next day. That does not change the attitude, so you have to go into a sporting sanction.

There are different proposals. It certainly will be a mix of the performance from the last World Cup and the world rankings.

What we can do is appeal that there will be no racism. This is the only thing we can ask, a little bit of respect.

Obviously, you'll still need a few stars elsewhere in the world, but not the hundreds and thousands who play in the second or third divisions in other countries.

Personally, I still think the idea of holding such a high-profile opening event is a good one. FIFA has not taken the decision to cancel the event at such a late stage lightly, but as world football's governing body, we must put sporting considerations first.

Ideally there would be 16 teams in every national football league.

I am so disappointed. It is a shame for football that in the year 2006, you still have racism.

I am sure there will be fair play this year.

I have been given a very clear mandate with a high responsibility to reinstall harmony and confidence in the football family inside in order to gain credibility outside,

For the time being, I don't think Brazil has a (single) stadium for the Cup.

There is no gap anymore. It was so interesting because of the 16 teams, everybody can beat everybody. The teams have leveled.

To FIFA such transactions fall well short of minimum standards of decency. We can no longer merely accept them. Nor shall we.

He retired because he was the victim during a match of unacceptable physical and psychological abuse.

Just like the rest of the international community, the worldwide football family is determined to do everything possible to help the individuals and football associations that have been so severely affected by the terrible tsunami tragedy.

I think the national teams of Holland and England have reason to be worried. Even Italy might not get a place.

I will make myself available once more in 2007, if I stay healthy and if the federations want me.

Over a billion people will see this on television. Fantastic for Trinidad and the World Cup. The audience will go wild.

Regulations concerning the use of photographs on the Internet are not open to further discussion.

We now have this item in our files.

The 23 referees who will be in action in Germany are currently the best match officials in the world. That is the way it has to be as they will have a crucial role to play in this tournament and great demands will be placed on them.

We could not have 12,000 people on the pitch for the gala and then use the same turf for the match on June 12. The problem was that not a single provider would give us guarantees for the proper turf replacement. Nobody would give us these guarantees.

We need to start to deduct points from the team. It could also mean suspension. It could also mean exclusion.

What we have witnessed in past matches, and specifically matches where the home team of Korea were involved, I have to say I have difficulties understanding our referee committee concerning the designation of the referees and the linesmen.

The question is, why the union has not attended?, ... Please answer this question.

We understand that the publication of images and text must be treated with the same approach for the sake of maintaining a transparent information management policy that respects freedom of the press.

We are close to a solution which will bring soccer tranquillity.

We have been accused of all sorts of things, for example, in the fight against doping, when we were the ones who made headway first.

We will have a serious talk with them. Trust is good ? controls are better.

FIFA places great importance on respecting human life and the physical integrity of human beings. Prostitution and trafficking of women, however, does not fall within the responsibility of an international sports federation but (with) the lawmakers of (each) country.

Fifa hasn't taken a decision to cancel lightly but sporting considerations are crucial.

FIFA can prescribe this. Of course, with a transition period. We must reduce national soccer so that we can have a better balance between club and national team soccer.

Fighting this scourge is one of our most important tasks. Whether associations, teams or players at each and every level, we all have a duty to ensure that our conduct does not lead to anybody being marginalized. Football has to set an example for others to follow.

Fair play was trodden underfoot in Istanbul. We will take severe measures.

The red alert is on for Germany's World Cup committee.

We will be checking all stadiums at the beginning of next year, and within a period which we will stipulate, all these problems will have to be solved.

This was the best decision we made. Unfortunately it was much too late.

This was anti-fair play. The Turks had the chance after the (first leg) defeat to act as a good host and show that a revenge foul is not done in football.

We go now to the Congress in 45-50 days and then it will be by decision of the Congress ... To give FIFA the authority to intervene in case of non-application.

We will use the technology in Germany next year if the experiment works. The technology will also be used along the touchlines to show whether the ball is out of play.

The regulations will also be applied for this World Cup. At the first sign (of racism) there will be a deduction of three points, then we are finished with the problems of discrimination.

We have developed football and taken it to the world. Now it is our obligation to use football to help build a better future for us all.

As the new competition will go ahead in a spirit of solidarity with the champions of all six FIFA confederations involved.

At the standing areas, there is always movement. Sitting spectators are quieter.

Diving is worse than shirt-pulling or tripping. It is betraying the players and the referee. I'm in favor of red cards for diving.

It would only be normal and it would show a little respect to the clubs that release their players to the national team.

They are a little too much the perfectionists. We still haven't found the optimal solution. If everyone has to show their papers, it will take four hours before spectators are in the stadium.

The stars of the tournament will serve as role models for hundreds of millions of other players around the world. So it is all the more important that Germany 2006 sets a positive example.

A financial sanction is not an adequate measure. You can always find someone with enough money to pay the fine.

There needs to be some talking and we need to find some flexibility on this issue.

This latest incident happened to one of the world's top players, playing for a top team in a top league.

It's a nonsense to have doping in football, ... A player with more muscles is not a better football player because what is needed today is skill and not muscle.

Football is hope for so many people around the world.

It is what a lot of clubs want at the moment. We need to reduce football so that there is a better balance between club and international football. That would mean more recovery time for the players.

Then we should take only the players that want to go to the World Cup but then ask to the players if they want to go to the World Cup or not.

That means it's no longer a theme for the World Cup.

It is therefore absolutely logical for FIFA, the governing body of football, to extend its reach into beach soccer and we look forward to bringing all of the knowledge and expertise that FIFA has to improving beach soccer, whilst being careful to preserve the sense of spontaneity and fun that are essential to the sport.

It will not be possible in future to play a friendly with 45 minutes with one team and 45 minutes with the other team it will not be possible.

These verbal attacks on referees disgust me. This kind of behavior leads to problems with supporters. I would strongly recommend that all parties involved show respect for the referees and think about fair play.

individuals with little or no history of interest in the game, who have happened upon football as a means of serving some hidden agenda.

In the world of today, which is disrupted by long-lasting disputes and violence, football is one of the very few universal tools mankind can use to bridge gaps between nations and peoples, and to symbolize what unites our planet over what divides it.

I have repeatedly stressed FIFA?s and my firm personal stance against racism and discrimination, but recent events have demonstrated that there is a need for concerted action and an urgency for more severe measures to be adopted in order to kick this evil out of the beautiful game.

But if you have these attacks from inside the house you don't know how to defend. Especially when you don't expect the attack. It is very sad, but it is all over.

German thoroughness will make sure that everything will work at the time of the kickoff. The Germans are not only competent, it's also simple to work with them.

However, unfortunately there are other pressing and unpleasant issues that also must be dealt with: corruption, racism, betting, and doping.

We shall wonder if one day our game is played on another planet? Why not? Then we will have not only a World Cup we will have inter-planetary competitions.

I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football - the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and love football.

We cannot allow the reputation of football and FIFA to be dragged through the mud any longer,

I can understand that people are not happy, but they should not use football to make their demands heard

Let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball. They could, for example, have tighter shorts. Female players are pretty, if you excuse me for saying so, and they already have some different rules to men - such as playing with a lighter ball. That decision was taken to create a more female aesthetic, so why not do it in fashion?

There is no systematic corruption in FIFA. That is nonsense. We are financially clean and clear.

I think it is high time that Europe starts to understand that we do not rule the world anymore, and that some former European imperial powers can no longer impress their will on to others in far away places, and we must accept that football has moved away from being a European and South American sport: it has become the World Sport that billions of fans are excitedly following every week, everywhere in the world.

Perhaps we could revisit the issue of World Cup Host selection for 2018/2022 as some countries feel, and we did say, they are more suitable. Russia was the only high risk location for 2018 and racial chanting is rife there but a Mr. R. Abramovich paid a significant fee to fund the voting proceedings and, not to be discriminatory, we would have to see the same thing from any England/Spain representatives wishing to have another vote.

What matters to me more than anything is that when all of this is over, football is the winner.

Any country if you go really, really in depth somewhere, the human rights are not totally respected.

I am a mountain goat that keeps going and going and going, I cannot be stopped, I just keep going.

Football is hope. To be a better human being but also hope one day, one day, to leave your country to be somewhere, let's say admired, as a football star.

You cannot ask everyone to behave ethically.

I am the president now, the president of everybody.

We, or I, cannot monitor everyone all of the time. If people want to do wrong, they will also try to hide it.