By Andrew Warshaw
January 28 – European parliamentarians have accused FIFA’s presidential candidates of scoring a spectacular own goal after four of them declined to take part in Wednesday’s planned televised debate in Brussels which ultimately collapsed.
The candidates, they said, had sent out the worst possible signal about cleaning up FIFA, accusing them of preaching transparency but then declining to deliver when given the opportunity.
Only Frenchman Jerome Champagne turned up in Brussels for the planned forum that went ahead in diluted form, with speakers making briefing statements before taking questions from reporters.
“It’s a massive own goal for each and every one who did not turn up today and an own goal for FIFA,” charged British MEP Emma McClarkin . “It’s the fans I feel sorry for thinking that after Sepp Blatter stepped down there was light at the end of the tunnel.”
Journalists from 16 nations across five Continents had originally applied to attend but many dropped out after Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein, who lost to Blatter in May, and South African political prisoner turned businessman Tokyo Sexwale both withdrew from head-to-head discussions at the last moment. UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino and Asian football chief Sheikh Salman Bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa had already declined an invitation, the latter because of prior commitments.
Prince Ali cited fears of “political interference” for pulling out, stirred up, his office said, by unidentified complainants.
But Belgian MEP Marc Tarabvella, co-organiser of the forum, described such a reason for withdrawal as “utterly ridiculous” and added: “It’s a good thing to have several candidates, it’s bad thing not to turn up and only inform us 24 hours before the start of the debate. It was an unique opportunity for restore FIFA’s image that has been tarnished for years.”
His compatriot, Ivo Belet, said non-participation was “a bad signal which proves that the old FIFA is still and kicking, and a terrible signal to fans who deserve much better.”
The BBC has also conceded defeat in its attempt to gather together the candidates for a live broadcast 10 days before the February 26 ballot and Belet added: “This proves these candidates are not suited to guarantee the integrity FIFA so badly needs.”
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