Blatter wins fifth FIFA term as challenger concedes

CORRUPTION

US authorities have accused top FIFA figures and sports executives of corruption, while Switzerland is investigating the award of the next World Cup finals to Russia and Qatar.

The scandal widened on Friday when Britain's Serious Fraud Office said it was examining possible corruption at FIFA.

A judge in Argentina has ordered the arrest of three businessmen accused of using bribery to obtain soccer media rights, and the Brazilian Senate moved to open a formal inquiry into soccer bribery allegations.

Marco Polo Del Nero, the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, dramatically flew back to Brazil from the FIFA Congress shortly before Friday's vote. Former Brazilian soccer chief Jose Maria Marin was also arrested this week in connection with the case.

Del Nero told a press conference on Friday he did not plan to resign and "had nothing to do" with corruption.

FIFA takes in billions of dollars in revenue from television marketing rights and sponsorships, making it one of the wealthiest and most powerful sports bodies in the world. It has been dogged by corruption scandals for decades, mostly investigating itself and avoiding scrutiny by criminal courts.

One of its top sponsors, Coca-Cola, said after Blatter's re-election that "FIFA must now seize the opportunity to begin winning back the trust it has lost". It added in an email that it wanted to see the soccer federation take "concrete actions".

Russia and Qatar deny wrongdoing in their bids to host the cup. Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the United States of meddling in an effort to force Blatter out.

Qatar on Friday issued a further defence of its bid and said it would carry on with plans to stage the event in 2022. The decision to host the world's biggest soccer tournament in a small desert state where daytime summer temperatures rarely fall below 40 degrees Celsius startled many in global sport, and went against the advice of FIFA's own technical committee.

Many of Blatter's opponents have spoken of steps they can take against him. English Football Association chairman Greg Dyke, who has suggested that England might back a possible boycott of the 2018 World Cup, said FIFA's crisis was not over.

"This is the beginning, not the end. I think there is a lot more of this to play out," he told Sky News shortly after Blatter had seen off Ali's challenge -- the first time he has faced an opponent at a FIFA election since 2002.

Blatter had repeatedly promised not to stand for re-election again, but as his fourth mandate drew to a close he changed his tune and said he needed yet another term to complete his work.

Other European soccer officials have also alluded to the prospect of a boycott, but that is still seen as unlikely given the tournament's importance to the global game.

Most of the developing world in Africa, Asia and parts of Central America and the Caribbean are happy that FIFA under Blatter has guaranteed them annual grants and bonus payments in World Cup years.

Addressing the Congress on Friday, Blatter promised to boost the profile of Pacific island soccer federations grouped in Oceania, and said more had to be done to promote women.

"Let's go FIFA, Let's go FIFA," he said to a standing ovation. (Editing by Giles Elgood and Crispian Balmer)