Football: FA reassured by Blatter

REPRESENTATIVES FROM the Football Association met Sepp Blatter, the president of Fifa, football's world governing body, in Zurich yesterday to assure him that the English game has overcome its problems.

David Davies, the FA's acting executive director, and Geoff Thompson, its vice-chairman, told Blatter that their aim is to modernise the FA following the resignations of its chief executive, Graham Kelly, and chairman, Keith Wiseman, over the cash-for-votes scandal. Blatter apparently said that England's bid to host the 2006 World Cup will not suffer.

Fifa is to issue guidelines to countries bidding for the 2006 World Cup to ensure no unreasonable inducements are made to its 24-strong executive committee.

Fifa also warned clubs yesterday that out-of-competition drugs testing will start soon and could include a new way to track EPO blood doping.