Sepp Blatter, the president of the embattled FIFA soccer organization, announced Tuesday that he will step down as president. He requested that a new president be selected under a special election, USA Today reported.
“I will call an extraordinary congress and a new president will be elected,” he said, according to the publication. It will reportedly take four months to call the congress, and Blatter will remain in charge until then.
“My mandate does not appear to be supported by everybody,” Blatter said. “I will organize an extraordinary congress for a replacement for me as president. I will not stand. I am now free from the constraints of an election. I will be in a position to focus on profound reforms. For many years we have called for reforms, but these are not sufficient.”
The news of his departure comes a week after the U.S. Justice Department indicted 14 people, including top soccer executives, on suspicion of corruption, bribery, and money laundering.
There’s been increasing pressure in recent days by sponsors against FIFA, too, with some companies issuing harsh statements against the organizer of the World Cup.
Blatter has led FIFA for 17 years and was elected to another term as president on Friday.
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