Blatter makes clear-the-air call to Rogge (Roundup)

By Andreas Schirmer Jan 13, 2011, 12:53 GMT

Lausanne, Switzerland - World football supremo Joseph Blatter had a clear-the-air teleephone conversation with Olympic boss Jacque Rogge in the wake of critical remarks on the International Olympic Committee.

'We can confirm that this call took place on Wednesday,' IOC spokesman Mark Adams told the German Press Agency dpa.

Adams said he could not be more specific because it was a matter between Blatter and Rogge. The ruling football body FIFA also confirmed the phone call without giving further details.

The FIFA President Blatter said on Friday in Doha the IOC was 'a club' with no transparency and handled its financial affairs 'like a housewife.'

IOC sources said that Blatter, an IOC member himself since 1999, expressed his regret about the statements to Rogge but also said that his statements had been interpreted wrongly.

Rogge has reportedly declared the case closed.

Blatter's statements came in the wake of corruption allegations against FIFA officials and critical statements on the issue from Rogge in a German newspaper interview.

'FIFA doesn't have the same rules as us. But it now wants to set up a task force to look into changes. We welcome this, I believe it is necessary,' Rogge told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

The IOC ethics committee is also looking into the matter as some of the suspected FIFA officials are also in the IOC.

The two leading sports organizations in the world have been at odds over various issues over the past years.

FIFA has imposed an age limit for Olympic tournaments which is played at an under-23 level, but failed to go even further with an under-20 plan - seen to protect its own World Cup as much as possible.

The football body also fought for years against recognizing the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the World Anti-Doping Agency before bowing to IOC pressure.

Another potential conflict looms around the 2022 World Cup in Qatar which may be moved from summer to winter, possibly close to the Winter Olympics held in February of the same year.

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