Re-elected Fifa president Sepp Blatter has sought to downplay the US criminal proceedings

Re-elected Fifa president Sepp Blatter has sought to downplay the US criminal proceedings launched against officials of world football's governing body. Seven officials and associates were arrested in Zurich on a US corruption indictment earlier this week, as Fifa gathered for its congress. Mr Blatter, 79, described the issue as "infractions" involving a marketing company operating in the Americas. He said that he did not see how Fifa should have been directly affected by that. Speaking at a news conference in the Swiss city, he again questioned the timing of the US prosecutors, saying his organisation "could have been contacted at another time" rather than just before its congress assembled. Mr Blatter beat Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein of Jordan in Friday's election, and is starting his fifth four-year term as president. Answering questions from reporters, he denied that he was the unnamed senior Fifa official who allegedly authorised the payment of a $10m bribe relating to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.