Zurich, June 1 (IANS) The FIFA Congress here Wednedsay turned ugly as Football Association (FA) chairman David Bernstein called on the 208 member associations to stop Sepp Blatter being re-elected unopposed, but they voted 172-17 against postponing the poll.

FIFA senior vice president Julio Grondona then launched a scathing attack on FA, saying: ‘England is always complaining.’

‘It looks like England is always complaining so please, I say, will you leave the FIFA family alone, and when you speak, speak the truth. We always have attacks from England which are mostly lies with the support of journalism which is more busy lying than telling the truth. This upsets and disturbs the FIFA family,’ said Grondona, who heads the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and also heads FIFA’s finance committee.

‘To present such a project as David Bernstein presented is like shooting a penalty because it cannot be always be from the same place that the insults and problems come from. I see it at every Congress. They have specific privileges with four countries having one vice president. I don’t know what our president has said,’ he added.

During his speech, Bernstein said the recent scandals led to a situation where the election should be postponed.

‘We are faced with an unsatisfactory situation. We are subject to universal criticism from governments, sponsors, media and the wider world. With this background, the election has turned into a one-horse race. This should be avoided, both for the sake of FIFA and the president himself. A coronation without an opponent provides a flawed mandate,’ he said.

Bernstein speech was followed by speeches from five nations – Haiti, Congo, Benin, Cyprus and Fiji – backing Blatter to stand unopposed.

Zurich, June 1 (IANS) The FIFA Congress here Wednedsay turned ugly as Football Association (FA) chairman David Bernstein called on the 208 member associations to stop Sepp Blatter being re-elected unopposed, but they voted 172-17 against postponing the poll.

FIFA senior vice president Julio Grondona then launched a scathing attack on FA, saying: ‘England is always complaining.’

‘It looks like England is always complaining so please, I say, will you leave the FIFA family alone, and when you speak, speak the truth. We always have attacks from England which are mostly lies with the support of journalism which is more busy lying than telling the truth. This upsets and disturbs the FIFA family,’ said Grondona, who heads the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and also heads FIFA’s finance committee.

‘To present such a project as David Bernstein presented is like shooting a penalty because it cannot be always be from the same place that the insults and problems come from. I see it at every Congress. They have specific privileges with four countries having one vice president. I don’t know what our president has said,’ he added.

During his speech, Bernstein said the recent scandals led to a situation where the election should be postponed.

‘We are faced with an unsatisfactory situation. We are subject to universal criticism from governments, sponsors, media and the wider world. With this background, the election has turned into a one-horse race. This should be avoided, both for the sake of FIFA and the president himself. A coronation without an opponent provides a flawed mandate,’ he said.

Bernstein speech was followed by speeches from five nations – Haiti, Congo, Benin, Cyprus and Fiji – backing Blatter to stand unopposed.