This Term Is Blatter’s Last

Joseph “Sepp” Blatter, who this year was elected to a second term as FIFA president despite allegations of financial mismanagement and corruption, said he will step down in 2006 as head of soccer’s international ruling body.

“I have said I am in the second half of the football game,” Blatter said in an interview with Sports Business magazine. “From the very beginning, I said my presidency will not be more than two mandates.

“I am now in my second mandate and at the end of it I will be 70 years old. I think it will be the correct time then to leave the organization.”

Blatter said he is unconcerned by the worldwide negative publicity he has received in the wake of several alleged scandals within FIFA.

“I don’t mind how I am seen,” he said. “I don’t care.”

Egypt Chosen

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Thursday selected Egypt as the host nation for the African Nations Cup in 2006, when the tournament also will serve as qualifying for the World Cup in Germany later that year.

Egypt received the votes of seven of the 11 CAF executive committee members present in Cairo.

The top five finishers at the 16-nation tournament will advance to the World Cup.

Brazil Brutality

Former Brazil national team coach Emerson Leao lashed out at Brazilian police Wednesday after one of his Santos players was knocked unconscious by a baton blow and Leao himself was sprayed in the face with a mace-like substance by police officers trying to quell a protest.

The trouble started when Santos players protested a late goal scored by Paysandu that gave it a 2-1 victory at Belem. When several players confronted an assistant referee, police moved in and Santos defender Preto was clubbed unconscious.

That sparked a flurry of insults and an assault on police by Preto’s teammates and Leao.

The game was completed after a half-hour delay, and a ranking police official later said, “Maybe there were some excesses. It will be investigated.”

Vieira Banned

French international Patrick Vieira, the captain of English Premier League champion Arsenal, was banned for two matches and fined $38,680 by England’s Football Assn. on Thursday for using “insulting language” toward referee Andy D’Urso after being sent off during a 1-1 tie with Chelsea in September.