Nothing is ever what it seems with FIFA. On the day its executive committee met for the first time without suspended president Sepp Blatter, to discusswide-ranging reform proposals, transparency was lacking. And calls to postpone the election for a new president were rebuffed, but it is anything but clear who has the support — and clean hands — towin the election.
No press conference was held following the emergency session of the executive committee, meeting without Blatter, suspended UEFA president Michel Platini and Marco Polo Del Nero, the South American representative who refuses to leave his native Brazil for fear of arrest by U.S.authorities.
“I was pleased to see unity among the Executive Committee members during our discussions of reform and its critical importance to our organization and world football,”said acting FIFA president Issa Hayatou
Unity would be a good thing but about what remains to be seen. The one thing the exco agreed to do is give the FIFA ethics committee the power to reveal more than basic information information aboutits ongoing proceedings.
The exco heard a
Despite calls by IOC president
FIFA’s Domenico Scala, who oversees FIFA’s electoral committee, confirmed that Platini will be ineligible to run — and more important, campaign — aslong as he is suspended. Platini will be eligible if his suspension expires before the Feb. 26 election date, but he’ll still have to pass an integrity check, like all candidates.
Platiniwas the heavy favorite to succeed Blatter with widespread support around the world, but his suspension following the opening of a criminal investigation into Blatter’s payment of $2 million to Platiniin 2011, has thrown the race into turmoil. Neither Prince Ali nor Nakhid is believed to have significant support.
Prepared to fill the vacuum is the Asian Football Confederation’s chief,Sheikh Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the crown prince of Bahrain. The 49-year-old Sheikh Salman says he is not yet a candidate but has been been urged tostand “by a growing number of senior football administrators, FIFA members and personalities of public life.” Given Asia’s power base and support from Africa and Europe, he would become the heavyfavorite to replace Blatter — if he can pass an integrity check.
Human rights organizations have expressed outrage that Sheikh Salman might run for FIFA president, considering hisfamily’s role in the brutal suppression of Bahrain’s pro-democracy demonstrations in 2011. More than 150 athletes, coaches and referees were suspended after a special committee, which theAssociated Press reported was chaired by Sheikh Salman, in his capacity as the thenhead of the Bahrain Football Association, identified them from photos of protests.
Sheikh Salman has denied the reports. In an
Anyone who has had any significant responsibility for FIFA operations in the past decade should be declared ineligible. Period.And, seriously. The IOC is telling FIFA how to clean up their shop????? Are you kidding me?
Time for Switzerland to put FIFA in receivership and appoint a respected outside business executive to clean up the business while the prosecutors put away the gangsters who have been running it.