Charles Dempsey, whose decision to abstain in the final ballot sensationally gave Germany the 2006 World Cup over South Africa, has resigned from football's world governing body, Fifa.

Fifa made the announcement late on Thursday, just hours after Dempsey stood down from his position as president of the Oceania Football Confederation.

Clearly upset by the hostile reaction to his decision to abstain in Zurich last week, the 79-year-old handed his daughter - OFC general secretary Josephine King - a letter confirming his retirement.

He had previously indicated he would step down on 1 October 2000 - two years ahead of schedule.

Dempsey said his family had been under tremendous pressure since his return from Zurich.

Deciding vote

The Scots-born administrator's abstention gave Germany a 12-11 victory - if he had voted for South Africa, Fifa president Sepp Blatter would have used his deciding vote for South Africa.

"My family has been harassed and I'm not prepared to let that continue," said Dempsey.

"Annie (his wife) and I are going on holiday. She has stood up to it well, but it is not fair to let it continue.

"The pressure had been too much for me. My family is more important than football."

The vote for Dempsey's successor is expected to be taken on 1 October, with Vanuatu's Johnny Tinsley Lulu, the current vice-president, and Australian Basil Scarsella the likely front-runners.