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.

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.

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.

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

I am sure there will be fair play this year.

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

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

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,

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.

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

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

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.

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.

We now have this item in our files.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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 are close to a solution which will bring soccer tranquillity.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

All of Africa must get the most out of this event.

The Iraqi footballers have overcome testing times to win a qualifying berth for next year's Asian Cup finals in China and their coach has shown a lot of courage to continue on the job,

The FIFA World Cup is the perfect platform to send out this message to the whole world of football as people all around the globe will follow the 64 matches in Germany. 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.

These are not 'minor concessions' as you term them.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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

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

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

Footballers are slaves. I know this from the personal experience of being a footballer.

Many people hold me ultimately responsible toward the actions and reputation of the global football community. I cannot monitor everyone all of the time.

They (the FAI) have asked, very humbly, can't we be team No 33 at the World Cup? They have asked for that... really!

All religions, they play football - even nowadays all girls and women have the right to play football in cultures like the Arabic countries in the Muslim they play football.

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

I am the president now, the president of everybody.

You cannot ask everyone to behave ethically.

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.

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

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

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