FIFA audit, compliance head rules himself out of succession race

ZURICH (Reuters) - The independent chairman of FIFA's audit and compliance committee, Domenico Scala, has taken himself out of the running to succeed Sepp Blatter as head of world soccer's governing body, a spokesman for Scala said on Thursday. "He will not take on an operational role within FIFA," a spokesman for Scala told Reuters. Scala, who spoke directly after Blatter on Tuesday said he would step down as FIFA president in the wake of a corruption investigation that now includes the 79-year-old chief himself, and had been among those considered as candidates to succeed Blatter. (Reporting by Katharina Bart; Editing by Ossian Shine)