FIFA General Secretary stepping down

FIFA General Secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen will leave world football's governing body at the end of the FIFA World Cup.

Emergency meeting
A meeting of FIFA's Executive Committee agreed on Friday that Mr Zen-Ruffinen's contract should end as of 4 July.

Recent disagreement
Mr Zen-Ruffinen has been involved in recent disagreements with the FIFA President, Joseph S. Blatter, over financial affairs, which came to a head at the FIFA Congress gatherings in Seoul, Korean Republic this week. Mr Blatter was re-elected as FIFA President for a second term of office at the Congress on Wednesday.

'By mutual consent'
In a statement issued today, a few hours before the opening ceremony of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, FIFA said: "The FIFA Executive Committee (...) has reached an agreement with FIFA General Secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen, with regard to their contractual relationship. It was mutually agreed that this relationship should end on 4 July 2002."

World Cup
The statement added that Mr Zen-Ruffinen would continue to be in charge of the organisation of the World Cup. "The two parties expressed their mutual satisfaction of the agreement," said FIFA.

Proceedings withdrawn
In addition to Mr Zen-Ruffinen's departure, the FIFA statement said that it had also been agreed that the legal proceedings brought against Mr Blatter in the Swiss courts would be withdrawn immediately.

Formal complaint
Earlier this month, five FIFA vice-presidents and six other members of the FIFA Executive Committee filed a formal complaint against the FIFA President with the First Prosecutor in the Swiss city of Zürich.