Following the arrests of some of FIFA’s top executives almost three months ago many fans of the world game felt sure that change was just around the corner. Nothing could be further than the truth.
It is totally sickening to hear that the President of this shambles, Sepp Blatter is still being ferried around the world by private jet, being driven in an armoured plated car and still be fawned over by. Yet this is a man who supposedly resigned from his position. Why has he not gone? He will not go until FIFA holds an extraordinary congress to elect his successor in February next year! Why have the national bodies and members of FIFA allowed this to be an acceptable solution?
With Blatter still in control we have to endure him collecting more headlines for his personal scrapbook and accolades such as the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin claiming he deserves a Nobel Prize!
Mr Putin, who few would say was the ideal man to give a personal endorsement went on to say “We all know the situation developing around Mr Blatter right now, I don’t want to go into details but I don’t believe a word about him being involved in corruption personally.”
This is truly laughable in light of the fact that United States investigation that saw 14 people indicted on corruption charges is still continuing. In addition to this a separate criminal investigation by Swiss authorities is under way into how the 2018 and 2022 World Cups were allocated.
The World Cup Qualifying rounds are about to start around the world. One has to ask how can any nation who honestly cares for the future of the game be a part of these?
Why are we not seeing those nations who question Russia’s human rights issues, let alone the legitimacy of the bid process withdraw from the tournament?
Sure, as we all know in top flight sport many will say they will do this but when push comes to shove will play anyway, but a World Cup without the cream of World football taking part will not be an appealing prospect to sponsors or the television companies that pay hundreds of millions of dollars for the rights.
If the World Cup missed one cycle of being every four years would that be such a big issue if it meant the game was cleaned up and its future was built on strong, fair and transparent foundations?
It is totally unacceptable that Blatter and Putin are almost mocking the game and all who play and follow it. When is this nightmare going to end? Who is going to stand up and be counted and lead?
The longer every single one of FIFA’s 209 member nations sit quietly and do nothing and allow Blatter to continue to travel the world like some head of state, the more it appears to the average fan that all of them are party to the unacceptable and undemocratic practices that FIFA has become famous for.
The credibility of the game at they are charged to guard is at stake, yet it seems that none of them care. Maybe they all advocate Sepp Blatter’s Final Farewell Tour. Sadly unlike music stars it is more likely that the Tour will be costing money rather than making any.
