By Andrew Warshaw
October 7 – Chuck Blazer, the FIFA official who blew the whistle on the biggest bribery scandal in the organisation’s history, has gone into more detail behind his decision to step down as general secretary of his deeply divided Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF).
Blazer will continue as a FIFA Executive Committee member but will leave his CONCACAF post on December 31 this year.
The decision will be widely construed as being the result of the momentous events of the past few months that saw Blazer go public with sensational allegations that snared both his long-time CONCACAF colleague, Jack Warner, as well as Mohamed Bin Hammam, the then most powerful man in Asian football.
Warner, who was CONCACAF president and the longest-serving FIFA vice-president, resigned in June after Blazer’s claims, while Bin Hammam was banned for life and is still appealing the sentence.
Blazer alleged at the time that violations of FIFA’s code of ethics had occurred during a meeting organised by Bin Hammam and Warner in May.
Both were said to have paid bribes amounting to $40,000 (£26,000/€30,000) to Caribbean associations.
The burly 66-year-old American, who has kept an uncharacteristically low profile in recent weeks, said he was making his decision now so that CONCACAF had adequate time to find a replacement.
He admitted that the bribery scandal had in part prompted the decision – not because he was under siege from his critics but because the confederation had ground to a halt.
“Do I sound like I’m tired and under pressure,” he told Insideworldfootball by phone from New York within hours of his decision being made public.
“The job is not the same as it was six months ago.
“Things have ground to a halt and it’s getting boring.
“Would it have entered my head if the events of Trinidad on May 10 had not happened?
“Maybe not.
“But it’s been a boring existence over the past few months.”
Blazer has nevertheless had to fight off numerous attempts to unseat him.
In June, he survived an attempt by CONCACAF’s acting President Lisle Austin to sack him.
Austin sent Blazer a letter saying he was “terminated as general secretary with immediate effect”.
But CONCACAF’s executive committee ruled that the dismissal was “unauthorised”.
Blazer, who has been secretary general of CONCACAF since 1990, said he now needed to move on.
“This has been the best job in the world but I need some action,” he told insideworldfootball.
“My passion for soccer is undiminished and it is time for me to explore new challenges.
“I’m at the point where I’m still young enough to do new stuff.
“People should seriously consider me for a top CEO.
“I’m at the peak of my performance and have to get on with my life.
“In terms of FIFA, however, I have only just begun.”
Blazer will remain in his position on the FIFA exco, on which he has served since 1997, at least until the summer of 2013.
His successor at CONCACAF will be chosen by an executive committee that includes US Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati, Alfredo Hawit of Honduras, Justino Compean of Mexico, Horace Burrell of Jamaica and Ariel Alvarado of Panama.
Ironically, CONCACAF’s Caribbean lobby are today set to name a replacement for Warner as their FIFA exco representative in time for the next session in Zurich on Oct 20 when Sepp Blatter’s eagerly awaited anticorruption reforms will be unveiled.
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