If Fifa were a country, instead of the body that represents the world’s footballing associations, Sepp Blatter would likely be held in the same esteem as Kim Jong-un.
Imagine being the president of a world body that makes its own rules, breaks them and acts with impunity when it comes to ethics. When questions were raised about the bidding processes for the football World Cups in 2018 in Russia and 2022 in Qatar, Blatter ordered an investigation. And when the report came, only a tenth of it was actually made public. And the person who wrote that report challenged the “facts” of the 10 per cent that was actually released.
When Swiss and United States law enforcement authorities opened investigations into the way Blatter and top Fifa officials acted and funded the game, their lifestyles and their respective national football associations, Blatter ignored them and actually had the gall to stand again — and win — a fifth term as president. When the major sponsors — who are largely responsible for funding the game and its showcase finals — club together and say Blatter has to go, he rides out the storm, acting as if they are irrelevant.
Now when Fifa’s own ethics committee has finally handed a 90-day suspension over a questionable payment made by Blatter to Michel Platini, the head of Europe’s football associations, Blatter still doesn’t resign. This one man has ruined the beautiful game.
