Lennart Johansson Calls for Blatter Resignation

Ex FIFA vice-president Lennart Johansson has called for Sepp Blatter to quit the FIFA presidency. Johansson made his feelings known in discussion with the BBC World Service.

“It cannot be that only one man should be dictating and taking all the decisions about world football”.

“There is not much more to do than to get rid of the man in question.”

Blatter has stayed in power over four terms since defeating Johansson in the presidential election of 1998.The Swede believes his opinion is one held by the majority of world soccer.

“Some will respect him but the majority will say he’s not good. It is not very easy to admire or respect him”.

Johansson insisted his feelings were not personal and rooted in his desire to improve the game.

“I don’t love [Blatter], we don’t do Christmas together but I respect his knowledge. I just don’t like his dictatorship”.

The Swedish ex-UEFA president advocates his replacement as UEFA chief, former France captain Michel Platini, as the ideal man to the head FIFA.

“[Platini] is to me closer to what I was looking for,” Johansson stated. “He has tried to be fair, he’s open-minded, he allows discussions and he obeys decisions made by the majority”.