Blatter wants his critics to stand for president

FIFA President Sepp Blatter announces Qatar as the host nation for the FIFA World Cup 2022, in Zurich December 2, 2010. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

ULRICHEN Switzerland (Reuters) - Sepp Blatter wants his detractors to stand up and take him on in a FIFA presidential election rather than just criticise him, the FIFA president said on Saturday.

“If I were not criticised, I would not have any value,” the Swiss, who is in his fourth mandate after first being elected in 1998, told reporters. "People who say I should not be a candidate or I should not get elected, they can take the risk to be in an election. I took the risk in 1998.”