ZURICH (AP) β FIFA President Sepp Blatter says he has tried to “tame the monster” of soccer’s success during his 17-year reign.
In a rare interview during his re-election campaign, Blatter tells Swiss daily 20 Minutes his presidency benefited from a boom in soccer’s finances and development fueled by television rights deals.
Blatter says predecessor Joao Havelange once told him: “Sepp, you created a monster.”
In reply, Blatter says he told Havelange: “Yes, but I try to tame the monster.”
Blatter says the power of soccer is “wonderful even if at the same time it’s scary.”
The daily newspaper reports that questions about the May 29 election were not allowed.
Blatter says “I am the president and not a candidate. This is why I don’t want to speak about this vote.”
