Big Joe is back

Despite FIFA’s darkest days - surrounded by corruption cases - the president of the world’s football governing body has managed to triumph to a 5th term in charge.

Being able to secure the top job for 2 decades while dogging countless corruption allegations truly FIFA President Sepp Blatter deserves a standing ovation. He managed to secure 133 out of a 209 votes, which was not enough of course to hand him the victory in the first round, but since it was out of two candidates, it was somehow obvious that he would most likely win in the second round.

The re-elected president had joined the governing body in 1975 and has been FIFA president since 1998. However, in the organizations 111-year history, never has it witnessed such a crisis. Should we be worried though?

The big boss mentioned in his winning speech: “I will be in command of this boat called FIFA and we'll bring it back to the shore." And let’s hope he does, because this ship is really lost at sea.

Allegations and arrests

The latest incident that made headlines was the arrest of 7 officials by Swiss authorities in Zurich. The arrests were made on behalf of US authorities, who actually charged 14 officials. The FBI’s hunt for the truth – just a part of an international investigation – aims to dig out bribes worth $100m in the span of three decades.

It was the United States Department of Justice’s 164-page dossier detailing the charges and allegations against the FIFA officials that paved way for the arrests in Zurich’s luxury Baur au Lac hotel. The dossier alleges that disgraced executive Jack Warne solicited and accepted bribes over the selection of the host nation for the 1998 World Cup in France. He handed himself in to authorities in Trinidad. The report also mentioned that an illegal payment of $10 million was paid to a body led by the former Fifa vice-president to secure South Africa as the host nation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The South Africa FA have admitted they paid such an amount, however they deny claims that it was a bribe.

US authorities made use of Former FIFA executive committee member, Chuck Blazer, in their quest to overthrow Blatter and his clan. At the London 2012 Olympics, Blazer secretly recorded his colleagues to gather evidence. Apparently he was under pressure from the FBI over tax evasion charges. The former FIFA official has pleaded guilty to 10 criminal charges and faces 10 years in jail.

US attorney general Loretta Lynch, who is taking on the governing body, says that corruption not just found its way into the 2010 World Cup bid but also into the 2011 FIFA presidential election. FIFA has to prove it is also innocent in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids as well; Swiss federal prosecutors said they had opened criminal proceedings in connection with the award of the two tournaments. U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia’s 240 page report was turned over to Swiss authorities in November, which may have helped them with the arrests made (the full report into the two bidding processes were not publish which led to Garcia’s resignation as FIFA's independent ethics investigator).

The commercial deals dating back to the 1990s for tournaments in the U.S. and Latin America, media rights deals involving World Cup qualifying matches in the Caribbean and Central America, the Copa America, the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Champions League are believed to be tainted by corruption.

There is so much that Blattar has to do to save this shipwreck, and the opposition is not making this an easy ride for him.

The opposition

Big Joe faces big resistance on his journey: football officials such as His friend and UEFA president Michel Platini, FA chairman Greg Dyke and Dutch FA chief Michael van Praag and even politicians have asked Blatter to step down. It is not going to be easy, if not impossible, to please them, especially when you aim for allegiance with those who turn down the offer without hesitation. Gill did not attend Saturday's first executive committee meeting and rejected a place on FIFA's executive committee under Blatter. The president of the English Football Association, Prince William, has praised the move: "I know I join with all of you in commending David Gill for his decision to stand down from the ExCo, and to lead by example by doing so."

Blatter has not remained silent on the issue concerning Gill absence: "When you are elected you do not come even to the first meeting. This is not responsible; if you are elected you have to come. Blatter has also condemned UEFA for steering a “hate” campaign. UEFA has spoken of removing or reducing cooperation with the world governing body if Blatter would be re-elected, however Blatter had even responded to that in his first executive committee meeting of his fifth term, indicating that European club football would suffer if UEFA tried to breakaway.

Since the US authorities and the FBI got involved, they have found ways to get what they want. They have made use of some like Chuck Blazer, and have others even locked up for now. They have Blatter’s own guys in their pockets, and who knows which one of them will spill the beans quicker. There are many skeletons in their closet, and the US has decided to clear them out; who knows when they will go for the final kill.

Safe for now

The captain of this ship may have conquered the seven seas for now. But this does not mean that he and his connections are able to continue going about their daily activities without any hassle. The spotlight will stay on them, and the publicity will heighten more than ever. Even Blatter’s efforts to reduce racism and discrimination in football or increase women’s role in both FIFA and “The Beautiful Game” may be forgotten, or overshadowed by corruption. Blatter may control the ship, but he does not control the seas.

RG/KA 

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