By Andrew Warshaw
October 26 – Sepp Blatter, in an address to the Oxford Union, has launched a staunch defence of his long and at times controversial FIFA presidency, insisting he was no “ruthless parasite sucking the lifeblood out of football.” On the eve of attending the English Football Association’s gala dinner celebrating its 150th anniversary, Blatter gave an impassioned address to the famed university debating society.
“Perhaps you think I am a ruthless parasite sucking the lifeblood out of the world and out of football,” the 77-year-old Swiss told students in a speech that was largely behind closed doors but released to the media by FIFA. “The Godfather of the FIFA gravy train, an out of touch, heartless schmoozer.”
Blatter said some of the criticism hurled in his direction over the years had hurt but insisted he had done nothing to justify all the brickbats and had always acted in good faith.
“There are not many names the media haven’t thrown at me in the last few years and I would be lying to you if it did not hurt… you have to have a heart of stone for it not to hurt.
“You ask yourself, ‘What have I done? Why has it come to this?. Is FIFA to blame for everything? Are we not just a football organisation working for the good of the game?’,” said Blatter.
“People like a scapegoat of course but how could things have become so twisted? As you can see I’m not some overbearing bully who can intimidate my critics with one look and strong-arm governments to my will.”
Blatter, who has been president since 1998 and was handed another four-year mandate in 2011, did acknowledge that he and his organisation had made mistakes and needed to improve their tarnished image.
“I know I am far from perfect and that we at FIFA must always look to get better at what we do,” he said. “We have worked to push through tough reforms to improve the way FIFA operates to make us more accountable and more transparent.
“To build up our defences against wrongdoing and poor business practices. We know we have been let down by the actions of a few in the football world who have tarnished FIFA’s good name and overshadowed all the good work we do.
“We know there is fair criticism that we must listen to and we do. We know we have had some dark days but honestly some of the criticism just astounds me.”
“There are those who will tell you FIFA is just a conspiracy, a scam, accountable to nobody and too powerful for anyone to resist.
“There are those who will tell you of the supposed sordid secrets that lie deep in our (James) Bond-villain headquarters in the hills above Zurich where we apparently plot to exploit the unfortunate and the weak.”
“They would have you believe I sit in my office with a sinister grin, gently stroking the chin of an expensive, white Persian cat as my terrible sidekicks scour the earth to force countries to host the World Cup and to hand over all of their money.
“It is strange how fantasy so easily becomes confused with fact and it feels almost absurd to have to say this. But that is not who we are. Not FIFA. Not me.”
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