US wants to ensure Fifa operates with integrity, says Obama

The American president made the comments at a press conference during the recently-concluded G7 summit in the Bavarian town of Kruen in Germany.

US President Barack Obama on Monday made his first comments on the scandal enveloping soccer's governing body, Fifa, saying the sport is a "massive business" that needs to be run with integrity.

US-President-Barack-Obama-speaks-during-his-news-conference-at-the-conclusion-of-the-G7-Summit-in-the-Bavarian-town-of-Kruen-Germany-on-June-8-2015-Reuters-Photo

"In conversations I've had here in Europe, people think it is very important for Fifa to be able to operate with integrity and transparency and accountability," Obama told reporters at a news conference after the G7 summit. Obama said he could not comment directly on the FBI's investigation into bribery and corruption at Fifa.

But he did say soccer is not only a game but also a business and "a source of incredible national pride," and that the United States wants "to make sure that a sport that's gaining popularity is conducted in an upright manner."