Months later, Blatter is still the president of FIFA

By Binoy Kampmark / Roar Guru

Even he admitted it. Having ridden roughshod over those who questioned his authority to be at the helm of the world’s most famed sports mafia enterprise, Sepp Blatter decided to resign from his position as FIFA head.

Only, he hasn’t.

It is worth recalling what he said at his so-called conference of intended departure: “While I have a mandate from the membership of FIFA, I do not feel I have a mandate from the entire world of football – the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and love football as much as we do in FIFA.”

But he has remained fastened to his chair. After all, he seems to be saying, someone needs to run the rotten show until the next one succeeds him. Rather than making his resignation effective immediately, he cloaked his conduct in the behaviour of one who steers the ship.

He had, in the same conference, promised to “lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective congress.” Of course, he would “continue to exercise [his] functions as FIFA president until that election.”

A few days ago, Blatter pushed the date further forwards: “On the 26th of February FIFA will have a new president.” Just to throw in his own measure of infallible logic, Blatter noted that, “I cannot be the new president because I am the old president.” Fine and good, until one realises that his announcement that he would resign has not actually been implemented. Considerable time has lapsed – the announcement was made at the start of June and there is much mayhem to be caused until February next year.

Blatter’s instinctive reaction was to always to remain like a barnacle on a ship. On Swiss television at the end of May, he asked rhetorically why he should step down. For him, the answer was obvious, though he still forced it out. “That would mean I recognise that I did wrong.”

The intervention of US Attorney-General Loretta Lynch, and a range of other law enforcement authorities including the FBI, who had the supergrass Chuck Blazer to thank for, put pay to that suggestion. Few who witnessed the moment will forget the dragging out of seven top FIFA officials from their beds, concealed by the fine linen of Zurich’s Baur au Lac hotel, and sped away to be indicted on charges of fraud, money laundering and racketeering.

Blatter’s exculpatory response was predictable as much as it was absurd: “I cannot monitor everyone all of the time. If people want to do wrong, they will also try to hide it.” Expertise in this line counts.

The mafia enterprise has gone into institutional retreat, but tactically so. It should be remembered that a well deserved, and perhaps necessary schism has been avoided. There has been no rival anti-FIFA footballing organisation established. Instead, that odious body continues to set the agenda, set the pace. Diseased, it continues to function, without splinter, without rupture, without even a whiff of reform. FIFA has given would-be-candidates, and Blatter, considerable breathing space. Applications of interest will be received until October 26.

Blatter himself has also been careful about leaving Switzerland since extradition proceedings against the seven football officials began. He did not present at the Women’s World Cup in July, the first time he has not done so since becoming president in 1998. He is on record as wanting to avoid “travel risks” given the recent legal storm.

This is unlikely to trouble him in Russia, where he is due to make the preliminary draw for the 2018 World Cup. Blatter has Vladimir Putin’s word of reassurance on where he stands. The FBI raids were described by the Russian President as an attempt on the part of the FBI to meddle in “other jurisdictions”. Appropriately, Blatter has himself become a political football.

It was precisely such obstinate behaviour on Blatter’s part that led British comedian Simon Brodkin to engage a level of considerable high jinks. The account of that event has now smoked the entire social media circuit: Brodkin, using his stage name, decided to go the mile as one of his characters, Jason Bent.

Bent managed, remarkably, to place a pile of fake banknotes on the desk next to Blatter, having announced himself as a delegate from North Korea’s 2026 World Cup bid. On being led away by security, he threw more handy notes over the alarmed president. How the North Koreans respond remains to be seen.

A police spokesman explained that the comedian “will be charged for trespassing because we wasn’t allowed to enter the building… If there will be a trial it is still to be decided by the prosecutor. Trespassing in Switzerland is just prosecuted by request like other minor crimes.”

And so it happens that offences committed, when small in measure, register more disdain than grand acts of collusion. The old Bertolt Brecht expression about banks comes to mind: “What is the robbing of a bank compared to a founding of a bank?” Thefts of institutions is one thing; institutions of theft, another. And Blatter certain knows a thing or two about how that works.

Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: bkampmark@gmail.com

The Crowd Says:

2015-07-25T03:11:06+00:00

Rabbitz

Roar Guru


Meh - he is no different to the politicians in this country. He is one of the entitled ones, they will never believe otherwise. At least he is only screwing over a sports federation, not a country or economic union.

2015-07-25T01:49:00+00:00

Michael

Roar Rookie


I don't think many would like Putin as their leader...Could be wrong though, if anyone does feel free to speak up!

2015-07-25T00:35:54+00:00

Tom

Guest


Putin has committed no international crimes unlike the current leadership of this country and it's allies. I am no fan of Putin but he is a world statesman of enormous power and authority and the leader of a country whose vast natural resources simply dwarf those of ALL their rivals combined together, including the USA. On top of all that he is also the leader of the most powerful military complex on the planet, one that is unchallengeable.

2015-07-25T00:26:21+00:00

Tom

Guest


Only when the then leaders of Australia, the UK and the US are extradicted to the Hague to face war crime trials for the crime of the century (ie. the criminal invasion and destruction of Iraq in 2003) can those countries and their citizens, who continue to shield them from prosecution, claim moral authority on any international issue.

2015-07-25T00:23:22+00:00

nordster

Guest


and funny thing is i think some on the left (and right) would prefer Putin to Abbott and some on the right (and left) would prefer Putin to Obozo... :D

2015-07-24T23:58:10+00:00

Darwin Stubbie

Guest


Mafia enterprise ? ...

2015-07-24T23:10:45+00:00

turbodewd

Guest


MAFIFA!

2015-07-24T22:47:40+00:00

nordster

Guest


like having the support of the us imperial justice department? :D

2015-07-24T21:29:39+00:00

RT

Guest


Maybe he needs till February to cover his tracks. Could there be anything more damning than having the support of Vladimir Putin?

2015-07-24T18:18:12+00:00

mcxd

Guest


Geez I love that picture.

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