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TIM DIACONO THE Malta Football Association president has defied calls from the English Football Association for a European boycott of the 2018 World Cup as a response to the controversial re-election of Sepp Blatter as president of FIFA. "I think emotions are running a bit high at the moment," Norman Darmanin Demajo told MaltaTo- day. "A World Cup without Europe and South America won't be a real World Cup, but I don't think we should use our footballing muscle as a threat." The UEFA executive commit- tee will convene in Malta in Sep- tember and Darmanin Demajo expects its agenda to include a potential European World Cup boycott. English FA chairman Greg Dyke has said that England would sup- port a broad European boycott of football's most prolific tourna- ment, an option that UEFA presi- dent Michel Platini has refused to rule out. However, Darmanin Demajo warned that a boycott could prove counter-productive. "It would be a shame if foot- ball confederations end up issu- ing such ultimatums," he said. "I personally like the concept of the World Cup, and I'd rather see it remain a united competition." Blatter, 79, was re-elected as FIFA president during a congress in Zurich on Friday, beating off competition by his sole rival, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jor- dan. FIFA member states chose to retain him as president for a fifth term, despite this week's arrest of seven senior FIFA officials on corruption charges in the US, and Platini's subsequent call on Blat- ter to resign. Darmanin Damajo attributed Blatter's success to the strong sup- port he enjoys amongst the finan- cially poorer footballing nations across Africa, Asia and Oceania. "I think it's a combination of Blatter's past promises and his position at the top being taken for granted," the Malta FA presi- dent said. "Poorer countries look at Blatter as a hero, and I've heard him being described as another Nelson Mandela or Winston Churchill. They look at FIFA's projects in their countries as Blat- ter looking after them, when in reality he's just doing his job." Malta, along with 72 other coun- tries, heeded Platini's call and voted for Prince Ali. "Friday's congress brought to light the division that exists within FIFA, a main reason why I felt that Blatter had to resign," Darmanin Demajo said. "The truth is that FIFA haven't been able to regulate themselves. Blat- ter has been FIFA president for the past 17 years, and their sec- retary general for 20 years prior. He manages an organisation that he imagines he owns, an organi- sation with reserves of 1.5 billion dollars. He undoubtedly needs to shoulder responsibility for what has happened, but unfortunately corruption allegations don't in- f luence voters who are involved in the web." Malta's FA president had words of praise for Blatter's rival, Prince Ali. "He stood up to be counted against a footballing dictator, gave it his best shot, and I have noth- ing but admiration for him," Dar- manin Demajo said. "He is well- educated, experienced, and not European – which worked in his favour, as Blatter often portrays himself as the hero of the rest of the world against Europe. "We did what we had to, but life goes on," he said with a chuckle. "At the end of the day, we're talk- ing about football here." maltatoday, SUNDAY, 31 MAY 2015 News MFA boss resists call for European World Cup boycott Victorious again – Sepp Blatter, 79