While Blatter suddenly resigning and ending his 17 year reign at FIFA
shocked football, no one was in need of a Kleenex for sorrowful tears as the
swiss mountain goat (as Blatter strangely compared himself to in an interview
in New Zealand) has run his course.
After handily winning an election everybody knew he was going win and his
tone deaf victory speech, you would have thought the mountain goat was really
going to stick around for four years despite a growing number of current and
former members of FIFA’s executive committee are under investigation for
bribery in relation to FIFA’s bidding process.
However, knowing that he is easily the most unpopular man in the sport he
runs, Blatter, for once, did the right thing and step down for the good of the
game. But in truth, we won’t really know why he stepped down but various
reports suggest that Blatter has been implicated in a $10m payment to the South
African FA currently being investigated by the FBI that ended up in an account,
according to the Telegraph, “controlled by the disgraced former vice president
Jack Warner”[1].
While we’re not entirely sure that Blatter is implicated in any of the scandals
or is being investigated by the FBI or Swiss authorities, the abrupt nature of
his departure suggests that the walls were closing in fast on a man who has for
17 years appeared unflappable despite FIFA being known worldwide as the most
corrupt sporting organization on the planet
US authorities, like much of the footballing world, aren’t fans of now
former FIFA president and not so long ago issued thinly veiled threats that
they may arrest Blatter should he step foot on US soil. No one really knows or
cares what Blatter does as yesterday Blatter did the only thing fans and
insiders wanted from him – resign from the presidency and let somebody else in
to reform a truly rotten organization that’s been corrupt for decades.
With the departure of Blatter, the only question that seems to matter is who’s
going to take over FIFA and are they capable of reforming the organization. Former
Blatter presidential rival Prince Ali bin Hussein looks to be the main frontrunner
at the moment as he had strong support in Europe and with Blatter gone, his
voting bloc in Asia and Africa is now up for grabs. Prince Ali proved himself a
smart pragmatist as he tried to appease both sides of long established divide
between European countries in FIFA and just about everywhere else when he
promised to limit presidential terms to two terms and increase the places in
the World Cup from 32 to 36 which appeal to both factions.
He represents the safest vote as far as Blatter’s former Asian and African
voting bloc is concerned as he was the only presidential candidate who stayed
in the race until the end and was particular cautious about criticizing Blatter’s
reign despite the growing controversy surrounding the election.
However, with Blatter gone, there will be a number of suitors for the
presidency with former Manchester United Chief Executive David Gill rumored to
launch a bid and former presidential candidates Michael Van Praag and Luis Figo
sure to get back in the running. Current UEFA president Michel Platini has been
tipped to be FIFA president and was seen to be Blatter’s heir apparent until
they fell out with each other when Blatter promised to stand down after his
fourth term only to stand and win re-election a few months later.
In sum, whatever happens in the next few months, FIFA and whoever ends up
taking on the FIFA presidency has a real opportunity to change the organization
for the better as the mood for change among football fans and insiders is high
but given neither fans or insider can vote for FIFA president, the real
challenge is going be whether the new FIFA president can bring an organization
impervious to change. The answer we hope for is a resounding yes as the
integrity of the sport depends on it.
[1]
The Telegraph, 2015, Sepp Blatter stands down as FIFA president – the life,
times and controversies which damaged his career, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/sepp-blatter/11647385/Sepp-Blatter-stands-down-as-Fifa-president-the-life-times-and-controversies-which-damaged-his-career.html
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