FIFA arrests: What do they mean for Sepp Blatter?
Thursday 28 May 2015 09:31, UK
Officially, it’s business as usual at world football’s governing body.
FIFA insists Friday’s presidential election will go ahead as planned and the World Cups in Russia in 2018 and Qatar four years later will not be cancelled.
But the arrest of seven FIFA officials, including vice-president Jeffrey Webb, has the potential to cause the biggest ever shake-up in the organisation’s history.
Doubts over incumbent president Sepp Blatter’s ability to lead are intensifying among some major European football federations. The FA and Scottish FA have come out and backed his rival, Price Ali bin Al-Hussain, while UEFA were forced to hold an extraordinary general meeting to discuss its reaction to the crisis.
Sky Sports News HQ has been told by one senior source at a major football federation that although Blatter is not accused of any wrong doing, he needs to address the current situation as it happened under his authority.
It’s our understanding that at least five continental football associations are pushing for a delay to the election until more information is released. Many within UEFA are considering backing Prince Ali.
Blatter, however, may not need the support of any of UEFA’s 53 member votes. The African Football Confederation has 54 of the 209 votes available. They intend to vote for the current president, despite the dramatic arrests.
“I, for one, can’t really understand why it was only today they decided to arrest them”, said Togo Football Federation secretary general Ferdinand Amazohoun. “We’re a few days from another vote, this strikes me as an ulterior motive.”
And it is not just Africa that is backing Blatter. CONCACAF, the governing body of North, Central America and the Caribbean, is also in his corner armed with their 35 votes. This is despite the US Justice Department raiding their HQ in Miami and arresting key figures including Webb.
Blatter needs 105 votes to win Friday’s election, with the support of CONMEBOL (South America’s FA) and the Oceania FA he will get over the line regardless of the dissent in the West. FIFA spent more than £1bn dollars on football development projects from 2011-14. It’s this kind of legacy the Blatter-backers point to when explaining their stance.
U.S. Attorney General, Loretta Lynch, told reporters in New York the Department for Justice had found evidence of “bribes and kickbacks” during the “selection of the host country for the 2010 World Cup and the 2011 FIFA presidential election”. Both happened under Blatter’s watch but currently he is still the favourite to win a fifth term after Friday’s ballot.
The raids in Zurich and Miami may have got the world’s attention but Friday will see whether it’s enough to push 'football’s family' into ousting its boss.
