News of arrests in Zurich, Switzerland and indictments in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, New York in the Federation International of Football Association [FIFA] for long-rumored egregious corruption rocked Russian President Vladimir Putin. Awarded the 2018 World Cup, Putin wants no part of any questioning of how Moscow landed the prestigious, billion-dollar-plus tournament, wanting no part of any accusations of payola. Meeting in Zurich to re-elect 79-year-old FIFA President Sepp Blatter to an unprecedented fifth term, Michel Platini, who heads Europe’s soccer confederation [UEFA], called on Blatter to step down. While Blatter wasn’t named in the 14-person federal indictment, his presence at the top of FIFA raises eyebrows over the millions paid in bribes to land lucrative tournaments in countries around the globe, especially in Central and South America.
Putin’s tone-deafness to anything outside the Russia’s totalitarian bubble leaves him clueless about the way business goes on outside the world of bribes and payoffs. Putin insists that if “someone has done something wrong,” Russia “has nothing to do with it,” denying that his government, sports ministry or any third-party paid off any of the indicted or non-indicted officials to land the 2018 World Cup. “Our American counterparts, unfortunately, are using the same methods to reach their goals and illegally persecute people. I don’t rule out that this is the case in relation to FIFA,” said Putin, overreacting, exposing Russia’s glaring self-interest. If any world sports body has engaged in years of corruption and payola, then it’s only fair that they stand accountable. Putin’s knee-jerk attack on the U.S. suggests strongly that something fishy went on to get Moscow the World Cup.
When you look at the years of corruption under Blatter’s reign, it only makes sense for new leadership. “I said, ‘I’m asking you to leave, FIFA’s image is terrible.’ He said that he couldn’t leave all of a sudden,” said Platini. Playing kingmaker since taking over FIFA in 1998, rumors have swirled over FIFA’s entrenched corruption by some of soccer’s biggest stars, including Argentine icon Diego Maradona. Putin’s knee-jerk finger pointing at the U.S. speaks volumes not about U.S. persecution but at his persecution complex. “I have no doubt that this is yet another evident attempt to derail Mr. Blatter’s re-election as FIFA president. We are aware of the pressure that he was subjected to in relation to Russia holding the 2018 World Cup,” said Putin, practically admitting that Blatter was the chief kingmaker. If there were “pressure,” it was from Russian Federation Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko.
Putin knows that Mutko sits on FIFA’s executive committee, a key member of Zurich’s governing body Congress due to meet to re-elect Blatter sometime this week. Showing his slick side, Blatter distanced himself from any corruption, vowing to work with U.S. and Swiss authorities to clean up the sport. Insisting he rejects “corruption of any kind,” Blatter cleverly separates himself from the sweeping scandal rocking FIFA. FIFA’s scandal rivals the Catholic Church’s worldwide sex-abuse scandal, long swept under the rug until the dirt wafted out. “The events of yesterday have cast a long shadow over football and this Congress,” admitted Blatter, contradicting Putin’s message that the U.S. concocted the scandal to remove Russia from the 2018 Cup. Putin blames the U.S. for sabotaging Blatter’s re-election, while Blatter, himself, admits that FIFA has a systemic corruption problem.
While there’s some corruption in most bureaucracies, it’s a way of life in Russia and other authoritarian regimes. Whether or not Western democracies achieve perfection doesn’t discount FIFA’s widespread corruption, including the money paid to officials to get Russia and Qatar the World Cups in 2018 and 2022. “This is another blatant attempt to extend its jurisdiction to other states,” said Putin, insisting Russia backs Blatter 100%. Putin can’t answer why 45 of 46 European soccer federation want Blatter out. “I know many people hold me ultimately responsible . . . [but] I cannot monitor everyone all the time. If people want to do wrong, they will also try to hide it,” said Blatter, admitting that the corruption happened without his knowledge but under his watch at FIFA president. If Blatter adopted Putin’s position, he’d be publicly deny any wrongdoing, blaming the U.S.
Putin’s egregious attempt to blame the U.S. runs counter to all the known and unknown facts about FIFA’s systemic corruption scandal with its own employees and outside contractors. Some of the World Cup’s biggest sponsors including Coca Cola, Germany’s Adidas. Anheuser-Bush, etc., warned FIFA to clean up its act or risk losing some of its colossal $1.8 billion advertising empire. French Foreign Minister called on any FIFA’s vote to re-elect Blatter delayed until more is known about the scandal. British Prime Minister David Cameron backed Jordan’s Prince Ali bin Hussein bid to replace Blatter. Blatter has the deck stacked against any newcomer, still having enough votes for his sixth term. Unlike Putin, Blatter admits problems, just doesn’t see fit to resign his position. Admitting that today’s FIFA disgrace fell on his watch, Blatter should step aside for the good of the sport.
