Sepp Blatter reiterates he's the best person to lead FIFA: 'You have seen the results of the Congress'

Downplaying, downplaying, and more downplaying.

Sepp Blatter, re-elected as president of FIFA for a fifth term, faced the media for 18 minutes on Saturday at a press conference in Zurich, during which time - in classic Blatter fashion - he refused to accept responsibility for the governing body's culture of corruption.

As the questions poured in, Blatter: stressed that he is still the best person to lead FIFA; denied knowledge of a $10-million bribe to former FIFA vice president Jack Warner; and expressed zero concerns about the ongoing investigation by U.S. authorities that resulted in the arrest of seven FIFA officials on Wednesday.

Oh, and it turns out that FIFA helped stop the spread of Ebola. Who knew?

Here's a summary of the press conference:

Blatter opens up:

I'll take responsibility with the storm but I will share it with the executive committee because it's the government that has to take responsibility.

We will take our boat back to calmer water and take the FIFA ship into tranquility and happiness.

On Israel and Palestine:

Maybe football can be the precursor to the solution everyone wants.

On the Ebola virus:

On the U.S. authorities after their raids earlier in the week:

All these events culminating in the police storming a hotel and, curiously there were already three American journalists at the location ...

On the Executive Committee's reaction to the allocation of World Cup places remaining the same:

Some were more grumpy than others.

On how the past week's events will impact U.S. chances of a bid for the 2026 World Cup:

I am the president of everybody and those associations that have been against me, so they will have no impact, in my view. When it comes to personal attacks, I say yes, I was affected.

On why he hasn't resigned despite the charge sheet facing him on his watch:

It is very easy, you have seen the results of the Congress and they think that I am still the man to solve these problems.

On David Gill's decision not to serve under him:

I don't know exactly what the projects of David Gill are, he has written no excuse for his absence from the executive committee.

On the $10-million bribe involving Warner:

On the U.S. authorities' suggestion that there is far more to come in terms of their investigation:

The Americans are making investigations ... they have right to do so. I have no concerns, I especially have no concerns about my person.

On the culture of FIFA, his tenure being mired in corruption, and whether he fostered that culture:

Definitely not. We try, always, and in my tenure of office during these years to eliminate all these elements. If you go backwards, you will see how many members have left FIFA, either by themselves or they have been investigated by our committees.

On worries about sponsors:

We have already had contact with the sponsors after the revelations ... we have exchanged letters ... and the contact with our partners, I am sure will bring them all back with a personal visit to them.

On why he failed to take action against a number of corrupt officials:

- With h/t to the Guardian