"Fifa will kill football' - Uefa calls for election to be postponed

goal.com

Votes will be cast on Friday as Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein looks to dethrone Sepp Blatter at the head of world football's governing body

Uefa has called for Fifa to postpone Friday's presidential election in the wake of the latest corruption scandal and says that the governing body will "kill football" if it does not answer pleas for radical reform.

On Wednesday, 14 officials were indicted for racketeering, fraud and money laundering following dawn raids in Switzerland which resulted in the arrest of seven Fifa officials.

The governing body will hold its presidential election on Friday, with Sepp Blatter standing for re-election against Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein.

However, Uefa urged Fifa to delay the congress and has heavily criticised the organisation, calling for reform to protect the future of the game.

"Today's events are a disaster for Fifa and tarnish the image of football as a whole," a statement read. "Uefa is deeply shocked and saddened by them. 

"These events show, once again, that corruption is deeply rooted in Fifa's culture.

"There is a need for the whole of Fifa to be 'rebooted' and for a real reform to be carried out. 

"The upcoming Fifa Congress risks to turn into a farce and therefore the European associations will have to consider carefully if they should even attend this Congress and caution a system, which, if it is not stopped, will ultimately kill football. 

"The Uefa member associations are meeting tomorrow ahead of the Fifa Congress. At that point, the European associations will decide on what further steps need to be taken to protect the game of football. 

"In the meantime, the members of the Uefa Executive Committee are convinced that there is a strong need for a change to the leadership of this Fifa and strongly believe that the Fifa Congress should be postponed, with new Fifa presidential elections to be organised within the next six months."