By Andrew Warshaw
June 22 – Writing in the latest edition of FIFA magazine, president Sepp Blatter talks of the need to “strengthen democracy within the ‘FIFA government’.”
Essentially he is talking about increasing Asian and African representation in the 25-member executive committee. The fact, says Blatter, that the two confederations “only have five and four delegates respectively” in the exco “is contradictory to this notion of democracy.”
A few weeks ago, when he made that ground-breaking speech announcing he was finally throwing in the towel, Blatter suggested the size of the exco should be reduced. Now he appears to be saying the opposite unless the proposal is to remove UEFA positions in favour of less represented confederations. Either way that will likely be bad news for UEFA who hold the most significant power block on the exco and will almost certainly see their number of votes reduced or diluted if the size of the exco is increased (though increased size comes with the inceased difficulty of effective management).
Interestingly, Blatter also endorsed a recent proposal from German FA president Wolfgang Niersbach for independent integrity checks for members of the main FIFA committees.
It was only two years ago that UEFA blocked virtually the same proposal for integrity checks on the grounds that such a process was the responsibility of the confederations.
“German Football Association president Niersbach has broached a subject that has so far been blocked by UEFA, of all associations,” wrote Blatter. “Better late than never. The message he has thereby sent out must apply to everyone: only together can we continue to drive the process of reform forward.
“That is something I will stand for until my final day in office.”
Call for Blatter to leave his post immediately – mainly from parts of Europe and the US – have fallen on deaf ears and it is clear that whatever reforms are put in place in the next few months, Blatter wants to be a part of them. Step down now and he won’t be able to take any credit for the way FIFA is run in the future. He seems determined to use his remaining period in charge – whether that be six or nine months – to show he is not the old-fashioned, self-interested autocrat his critics describe him as, and he can walk away with a legacy to be proud of.
At least that’s presumably the plan. The reality in terms of public perception, in Europe at least, of his tenure may well be somewhat different.
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