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[b]“Adieu” Sepp Blatter, from June 8 1998 to June 2 2015. This farewell to the 79 year old seasoned football administrator should not be misconstrued as an emotional tribute paying last respect to the Switz nationale.
Rather, it is just a farewell message to the incumbent FIFA president, who finally draws the curtains down on his illustrious 17 year reign as the World’s most popular sport’s president following the bribery and corruption allegations that has rocked the football body in which he presides over.
The Switz assumed the post in 1998, taking over from the Brazilian, Joao Havelenge shortly after the World Cup in France. And had gone on to steer the ship of the most popular game in the world for 17 years until recent bribery and corruption allegations rocked his administration and seemingly threatened to sink the FIFA ship in which he captained.
Like a true captain hell bent on saving the FIFA ship from total capsize, Sepp Blatter accepted to step down as FIFA president, even though, he won his 5th term re-election, defeating Jordan’s Prince Ali in the process.
The controversy trailing Sepp Blatter is understandable. Being the president of the most popular game in the world comes with its flaks and goodies. One can turn out to be a football “ZEUS” and at the same time a colossal fall waits in ambush if things go wrong. Unfortunately, the latter has been the fate of Sepp Blatter of late.
Blatter’s inability to jealously guard his flocks from roaming out of sight should not be enough reason to smear his efforts and blacklist his 17 year reign as FIFA’s president.
His achievements deserve some applause according to ex FIFA member, and presently president of Imo State Football Association, Chief Uchegbulam.
In a chat with Soccer Star, the Imo FA president had nothing but glowing remarks for Blatter’s administration.
“Sepp Blatter has dealt with every country member of FIFA on the basis of equality and balance irrespective of size, wealth and football culture.
“Smaller countries have been beneficiaries of Sepp’s equity and forthrightness. Africa especially has felt his impact and we are most grateful for having him as President.”
The administrator was on point when he said the small countries and African continent in particular benefited a lot in footballing terms from Sepp Blatter’s FIFA. South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 world cup-Africa’s first world cup-and his pet “GOAL” project which sites football infrastructure across the continents and provides technical backup lays credence to this fact.
Though, the Qatar 2020 world cup is enmeshed in bribery allegation, Blatter should still be congratulated for attempting to let other regions-now middle east, after Asia and Africa were afforded hosting rights- host the tournament outside the traditional corridors of Europe, North America and South America respectively.
Lagos State FA chairman and Nigerian Football Federation Vice president, Seyi Akinwunmi was more cautious in his approach to the Scandal rocking FIFA, though he gave the Switz a pass mark.
According to him, ”He, Blatter is still the president of FIFA until he finally steps down and we get the reports of the ongoing corruption investigation, it would be unwise to pass judgement on him.
“The records are there for all to see. He did well for Africa. But like I said earlier, let’s wait for the outcome of the ongoing investigation before we pass our verdict on the man,” he concluded.
Beyond taking the World Cup to other parts of the world, the Switz ensured an improvement in proceeds to Member FAs that appeared in the World Cup finals. Notably the world cup in South Africa four years ago and the Brazil mundial held recently, were credible evidences of the Switz’s intent at increasing funds to member footballing countries.
Also, his “ONE GOAL” project, an educational initiative of FIFA that strives to make education accessible to impoverished children in disadvantaged areas around the world through establishment of football schools deserves commendation.
This FIFA ‘one goal’ project an initiative of the Switz nationale, aims to let disadvantaged kids from slums get access to education via football. The idea is to create a platform to empower the children through football and education within the four walls of a classroom. Hence, the project had not only been received well in disadvantage communities where classrooms and football pitches have been built but it has also enjoyed the support of notable football stars like Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo “El fenomeno”, Patrick Vieira, Marcel Desailly to mention a few.
With these few lofty ideas and projects to have come out of the stables of the FIFA president, one is left mazed as to what went wrong and how the seasoned football administrator ended up in this quagmire.
To many of his critics, the corruption scandal leveled against some of the football body’s members puts him on the spotlight as they believed such level of financial transactions and kickbacks could never had taken place without his knowledge. Hence, he is also culpable of the same wrong that others have been arrested and interrogated for despite the fact that, he has not been linked to any of the scandals. A point repeatedly hammered upon by staunch Blatter critic, Argentine football legend, Diego Maradona.
The FBI revelation of the corruption scam in FIFA had made him to categorically state that” the FIFA president has been exposed.”
However, Sepp Blatter was quick to dispel this allegation in his post-election victory speech insisting that his hands were clean and that FIFA is a body represented by individuals; individuals who should be held responsible for their actions and not the FIFA president.
But, former Super Eagles Coach, and FIFA technical adviser, Chief Adebayo Onigbinde begged to disagree with the 79 year old Switz on this stance.
“He is the head of FIFA so automatically he is on the spot.
“If anything goes wrong, he is in charge hence, he will be held for anything that goes wrong.
“I agree with him that individuals should be accountable for their actions but, as the man at the helm of affairs, it is his duty to keep his house in order.” He said.
The bidding process that led to Russia’s and Qatar’s emergence to hosting the World Cup in 2018, and 2022 respectively was the time-bomb that set off an explosion that threw open ‘a can of worms’ on corruption, bribery allegations and doubts on the level of transparency that saw Russia, and most especially Qatar emerged as hosts of the 2018 and 2022 world cup- A serious dark cloud on Blatter’s administration.
Could he have truly influenced the World cup bidding process that favoured the Qataris?
“NO!” was the response of Imo FA chairman, Chief Amanze Uchegbulam.
“I don’t understand how he could have influenced the bidding process to favour Qatar. It is important to note that, Sepp Blatter is only entitled to one vote and same goes for other exco-members.
“The voting process is a secret-ballot so, where is the conspiracy theory of bribes and backdoor payments coming in from to favour a certain region or country?” he quipped.
Prior to the FIFA elections, Luis Figo, an ex-Portuguese international had accused the FIFA President of being a dictator; a scathing remark on his administrative and leadership style. But, the 79 year-old was quick to brush aside Figo’s branding of him as a dictatorial leader claiming he had never isolated anybody and has strived to carry people along on football matters- A view that was reinforced by the Anambra FA Chairman.
“The head of any Football Association often wield influence and power.
“Blatter’s case is no difference to what is obtainable anywhere in the world. As a FIFA president, naturally he enjoys enormous influence and power. He only has to ensure to use his post to achieving positive results.
“The important thing is to operate within the status quo of the law, which he has not erred. Hence, I think Figo’s claim of dictatorship in FIFA is uncalled for.” He stated.
But, Chief Onigbinde gave a slight view on the ex-Portuguese international’s perception about Blatter being a dictator. He insisted that caution needs to be applied on Figo’s view of Blatter, stating that the nature of the Switz’s emergence and how he has fortified his post as FIFA’s head might have prompted that view from the Portuguese star.
“Blatter has been in FIFA for a long time.
“He was a technical head initially, before becoming executive secretary-an influential post he later whittled down- and upward to FIFA president.
“Guess how he meandered his way to making the post of executive secretary irrelevant must have prompted Figo to labeling him a dictator.
“Just saying, but hmmm…I could say Blatter is clever. You do the remaining calculation,” he jokingly stated.
Though the man in the eye of the storm, Sepp Blatter, has decided to step-down for the sake of the game and its governing body, however, his decision is just seen as the beginning of a new chapter in FIFA history.
The expected wind of change gathering momentum is that of ex-internationals throwing in their hats to call the shots in FIFA.
Likes of Brazil’s Zico, Portugal’s Luis Figo-that stepped down in the last FIFA election to support Prince Ali-and the head of Italy’s players union, Damiano Tomassi are among the few that wants ex-football players to be part of the football’s body set up.
A view corroborated by ex-Nigerian International, Mutiu Adepoju, FIFA technical member, Chief Onigbinde and Anambra FA chairman, Chief Uchegbulam.
“Why can’t ex-internationals be involved? Platini is an example of what we can do. He’s done a good job with UEFA so, I am in no doubt of Platini’s and other ex-internationals’ abilities to excel at FIFA level,” Kwara state football Academy director, Mutiu Adepoju said.
According to Chief Onigbinde he said he had no qualms with ex-players involvement in the running of FIFA but insisted, they must follow the rules and shouldn’t jump the boat.
“Platini was on the same technical board I was at FIFA before making the grade to being UEFA president. He learnt the ropes, is a gradual thing.
“You just don’t wake up, and say you want to run FIFA or any national association. But I am in support provided they do the right thing,” the FIFA director stated.
Chief Uchegbulam didn’t mince words either, insisting, that everybody is welcomed to be part of FIFA family irrespective of their status as an ex-player or none.
Beyond the clarion call for ex-players to run FIFA, I believe the body needs a radical change and approach in its structure. A view reinforced by Chief Onigbinde. He said:
“FIFA needs complete overhauling and approach to football. Let’s forget about Blatter now, whoever is coming in to replace Sepp must be ready to step up, and completely overhaul everything about FIFA.”
A tall order indeed if one looks at the litany of mess ranging from FAI’s 5m euro pay-off over Henry’s handball-an incident that denied the Irish football team a spot in the 2010 world cup- to allegation of 10m dollars goodwill payment by the South Africans for winning the hosting rights of the world cup in 2010, to question marks raised on the bidding process that led to Doha winning the rights to 2022 world cup and many other issues on sponsorship and endorsements, have all but, dealt a blow on FIFA’s credibility and smeared its Image.
And I guess whoever is coming in will be doing a lot of house cleaning in Zurich as the sport’s governing body attempts to turn a new page without Sepp Blatter.