Baku: Football is the victim of corruption in every society, FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said.
"Corruption is in our society. We are touched by it. Football is the victim," Blatter said.
He also called for solidarity several times during the opening ceremony of AIPS (International Sports Press Association) Young Reporters Program Saturday, as reported by a news agency.
According to Blatter, around 300 million people have been directly involved in the fight against match-fixing.
"I don`t like people saying there`s too much corruption in football. Sport is a phenomenon of society. It`s not only about performance, but also about education."
Though two goal-line systems were due to be tested during the December`s Club World Cup, Blatter rejected the idea of allowing more high-technology devices into the field.
"To go forward with technology will just kill the role of fans. Let`s just stop it there."
FIFA U-17 Women`s World Cup, featuring 16 teams, opened later that night. It is the first FIFA competition to be held in Azerbaijan.
"It`s the first time that FIFA organised the competition in a country with different culture," said Blatter.
IANS
First Published: Sunday, September 23, 2012, 17:26