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Blatter echoes Grondona's England criticism

Blatter, re-elected unopposed on Wednesday for a fourth term, joked that he had "cauliflower ears" from the criticism that rained down on FIFA over the past few weeks.

"I have strengthened my will to fight because I'm convinced that much, or most, of what FIFA has been accused is not correct," he said in an interview with Switzerland's Tagesanzeiger newspaper.

"Astonishingly, it always comes from the same corners... the English FA president (David Bernstein) said almost tearfully: 'It gives me no pleasure to say this.' So why did he say it, then?

Argentina's Grondona launched an astonishing attack on England during Wednesday's FIFA Congress it had been complaining since 1974 when Stanley Rous lost the presidency to Joao Havelange. He also accused British media of publishing lies.

An English FA proposal to cancel Wednesday's election was defeated.

"Have a quick look back at how the president of UEFA and other confederations were elected and how many candidates there were," he said.

"FIFA is not corrupt. I cannot start with the word corrupt. Someone is only corrupt when he is been found guilty.

"I have been given good a beating and I have two cauliflower ears."

"I had to wait until I had the right platform for them, which was Congress. I have always said that my partners in FIFA are the national associations, who choose me.

"In the executive are people who are chosen by the confederations. After two members were suspended in November, I knew I must do something."

Blatter said he had still to decide what to do about secretary general Jerome Valcke over an email to an executive committee member in which he said that Qatar "bought" the right to host the 2022 World Cup.

"I have already said I would deal with this after the FIFA Congress," he said.