Blatter says corruption probe won’t lead to him

ZURICH (AP) — Having come through another FIFA election largely unscathed, Sepp Blatter was in a typically defiant mood Saturday when addressing the challenges that still lie ahead.

The 79-year-old FIFA president dismissed suggestions that a United States government investigation of corruption in football could lead to his door. Several senior FIFA officials have been arrested already, but Blatter shrugged off the notion that he could be next.

“Arrested for what? Next question,” Blatter said curtly when meeting international media for the first time since American and Swiss federal cases rocked FIFA’s home city on Wednesday.

“I forgive but I don’t forget,” Blatter also said at FIFA headquarters, referring to a European-led attempt to oust him after 17 years in office.

A busy first day of his new four-year presidential term saw the leader of the world’s most popular sport scold critics and take acclaim from allies.

Blatter criticized U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and received a congratulatory telegram from Vladimir Putin, president of 2018 World Cup host Russia. INDONESIA SUSPENDED Meantime, the Indonesian government on Sunday said FIFA’s decision to suspend it should not be “mourned excessively” and authorities were now focused on reforming the country’s crisis-wracked football.

The ban, announced Saturday, means Indonesia cannot compete in world football and makes the national side ineligible for June matches that are qualifiers for both the 2018 World Cup and 2019 Asian Cup.

The sports ministry, whose move to oust the Indonesian football association (PSSI) sparked the crisis, defended its actions and said the ban was “really not what we wanted”. (AFP)