Outgoing president Sepp Blatter hit back at Chung Mong-joon, one of the candidates to replace him, for labelling FIFA a ‘corrupt organisation’ on Monday and said the South Korean's remarks were ‘disturbing’.
Swiss Blatter also pointed out in a statement issued by soccer's governing body that Chung was an influential member of FIFA for 17 years until 2011.
The 63-year-old billionaire scion of Korea's Hyundai industrial conglomerate launched his bid for the presidency in Paris earlier on Monday with a stinging attack on Blatter and Michel Platini, head of European soccer's ruling body UEFA.
Platini is another candidate to replace Blatter at the election on February 26.
"It is disturbing, to say the least, to hear Dr Chung Mong-joon describe FIFA as a 'corrupt organisation' during a press conference announcing his candidacy," said Blatter.
"Even more so when one recalls, and as Dr Chung cannot have forgotten, that he was a FIFA vice-president and a FIFA emergency committee member for 17 years from 1994 until 2011.
"Regarding personal attacks made by Dr Chung at the same event, I will not comment further than to say that this is particularly disrespectful to all concerned.
"I would like to stress again that FIFA is dedicated to improving the organisation and will continue to strengthen its governance and accountability," added Blatter.
"Our work in this area continuously evolves and we are focused on achieving the highest standards for the international football community."
During his speech and press conference, Chung made several references to corruption at FIFA.
"Michel Platini was a great football player and he is my friend," said the Korean. "His problem is he does not seem to appreciate the seriousness of the corruption crisis at FIFA.
Chung also said "the problem at FIFA is that those mired in corruption, the only thing they are interested in is hiding the corruption".
He added that the core issue for the election "is whether the 40-year-old system of corruption should continue or not".
In a reference to Blatter, Chung added: "The real reason FIFA has become such a corrupt organisation is because the same person and his cronies have been running it for 40 years".
Blatter was secretary general for 17 years before being elected president in 1998.
Nicaragua charges ex-FIFA official Rocha, seeks extradition
Nicaragua has charged former FIFA Development Officer Julio Rocha with money laundering and embezzlement, the country's attorney general, Julia Guido, said on Monday, and is seeking his extradition.
Rocha was arrested in Zurich in May after being indicted by the United States along with 13 other football officials and sports marketing executives on graft charges, in a corruption scandal that has rocked world football's governing body.
Guido said that Rocha, who agreed to be extradited from Switzerland back to his native Nicaragua earlier this month, held a football broadcasting rights contract worth $150,000 with Traffic Sports USA, of which $100,000 was an "international bribe" that entered Nicaragua through a Spanish bank.
Rocha, a former president of his country's football association (Fenifut), was charged on Aug. 4 with money laundering and embezzlement, with the state and financial system the claimants, Guido said. The charges came to light on Monday.
She added that the investigation had not yet concluded.
US authorities must now decide whether they agree to Nicaragua being given priority in Rocha's extradition.
"We hope they give Nicaragua priority, he is a Nicaraguan national, he committed the crime here in Nicaragua, the state was harmed," Guido said.
