Sepp Blatter’s resignation is a watershed moment but won’t alone reform soccer, Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy says.
“Sepp Blatter’s resignation should open the door to major reform,” Lowy said in an open letter released on Wednesday.
“I say should because FIFA’s problems are deep-rooted and tangled in a culture that has developed over decades.
“It will take a united, concerted effort by its football associations to fix the mess.”
In the wake of Blatter’s resignation, Lowy told of his “bitter grievance” at Australia’s failed bid to host the 2022 World Cup.
Australia spent $46 million on a bid which attracted just one vote of support in a process unexpectedly won by Qatar.
“We ran a clean bid. I know that others did not, and I have shared what I know with the authorities,” Lowy said.
The bid process is under fresh investigation by Swiss authorities, amid the separate arrests of 14 people connected to FIFA on corruption charges.
One of the arrested men, Jack Warner, is alleged to have stolen $500,000 from Australia’s bid.
Lowy said Warner, the president of CONCACAF and a FIFA executive committee member since 1983, had a “reputation as a colourful character”.
But the chief of the north and central American football association was considered “hugely influential” to the World Cup vote, Lowy said.
CONCACAF asked for a $4 million donation towards a centre of excellence in Warner’s Trinidad and Tobago, but the FFA and Australian bid team offered $500,000.
Lowy said the Australian money was paid to CONCACAF but it was ultimately found that Warner “had committed fraud and misappropriated the funds – in other words he had stolen the money from CONCACAF”.
“We asked CONCACAF to give our money back because it wasn’t used for the purpose we intended, and were advised by FIFA to wait until the inquiries were complete. Those inquiries are still ongoing,” Lowy said.
marcel
Guest
Dude...you've reached a new low when you have to start a thread with some kind of preemptive dismissal of imaginary opinions.....aren't you meant to be in Zurich by now anyway.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
nickoldschool I don't disagree with any of your points. However, in many of the charges brought by the US Govt relate to alleged criminal activity surrounding the organisation and marketing (TV rights) for the Gold Cup and Copa America. As you would know, these events are administered totally by Concacaf & Conmebol respectively. The Fifa ExCo would have nothing to do with these events. The Concacaf & Conmebol officials charged by the US Govt were not acting as representatives of Fifa, but as representatives of their confederations. The distinction is not simply semantics. It goes to the core of governance. So, whilst Colin Barnett is Premier of WA & leader of the Liberal Party in WA, if Barnett were do something wrong in his role as WA Premier, you can hardly expect Tony Abbott to be held responsible - even though Abbott is the Federal leader of the Liberal Party.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Fuss I think no one is disputing Sepp isnt the only bad egg in world football. Perhaps things could have been worse with someone else who knows, or we may even reach a new low in 10 years. Thing is if its proven Sepp or his acolytes have accepted bribes or attempted to bribe others they have to pay for it and at least step aside from football. 20 years ago bernard tapie was convicted of corruption. He, the club (marseille), JP bernes, the players involved etc paid for it, some went to jail, tapie lost his licence, the club was sent to 2nd div etc. Did it make marseille a squeaky clean club? No it didnt. Were Tapie's followers much better than him? Some were, others werent. Imo the issue isnt about dreaming of a clean football, its about not accepting to knowingly be fooled over and over. When people are proven to have infringed, they have to pay for it. to finish on a positive note, dunno if sepp or any of his mates will one day go to court but it will be hard for them to beat Tapie's famous: "yes I lied, but it was in good faith".
Steve
Guest
You are right. The buck doesn't stop at the head. Blatter should have no accountability for any corruption within FIFA. He should be completely siloed from any criticism. I am now going to go home and cry about how poorly Sepp is getting treated.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
So are you suggesting if someone with high ethical standards was leading Fifa over the past 10 years ... ... Marketing Companies wouldn't have offered bribes to Concacaf & Conmebol officials as outined in the US DoJ's indictment? How do you envisage that working in real life? Suppose you are the new President of Fifa. How will you stop a TV exec wanting to buy rights to the Copa America, or Concacaf Gold Cup offering a bribe to the official from Conmebol & Concacaf who is selling the rights?
Steve
Guest
I don't think anyone has claimed that Blatter going in and of itself was going to magically change anything. But that doesn't change the fact that Blatter going is a good thing for the sport and FIFA, as acknowledged by practically everyone except the heads of some tinpot FA's. It's one small step towards reform, by the man who has not brought upon any real reform in his 17 years as President. Remember his mentor was the corrupt Havelange.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Spot on! One of Australia's most successful corporate operators repeating exactly what I said yesterday - Blatter's removal on it's own, won't change a thing. I can only assume those who still don't get it are extremely naive, don't read the business section of the news, or are just ignorant about the business world. Only 24 hours ago, I posted this: "Blatter is gone, but I have no faith in humans doing the right thing & behaving morally when they are in positions of power. Blatter is gone, but humans remain the same. Marketing companies will continue to offer bribes. Weak individuals in any position of real power will continue to accept a bribes."