Sepp Blatter fails to attend FIFA medical conference after FBI raid

On Wednesday FIFA chief Sepp Blatter said he was determined to "root out any wrongdoing in football" after seven leading officials were arrested on corruption charges by US and Swiss authorities.

But despite that apparent commitment, the FIFA president, who is standing for re-election on Friday, will not be attending Thursday's medical conference, which would have been the media's first chance to question him about the £100m bribery racket outlined by prosecutors.

While FIFA have stressed that Blatter is not under investigation himself, he has avoided three public appearances this week including today's medical conference which he was due to host.

Pressure continues to mount on the 79-year-old, with major sponsors VISA stating their shock and concern at this week's revelations.

"Our disappointment and concern with FIFA in light of today’s developments is profound," said VISA in an official statement. "As a sponsor, we expect FIFA to take swift and immediate steps to address these issues within its organization."