By Andrew Warshaw
March 8 – With only a month to go before Europe elects its representatives on FIFA’s ruling Council, there is still no word as to whether under-fire Russian World Cup supremo Vitaly Mutko will be eligible to join the all-powerful, decision-making body.
UEFA insiders have confirmed to Insideworldfootball that no ruling has yet been declared by FIFA as to whether Mutko, who is among the candidates for five European vacancies on the FIFA Council despite his alleged role in Russia’s damning doping scandal, is eligible to stand.
Earlier this week, the Confederation of African Football confirmed that FIFA had passed 10 candidates to stand in its own regional elections on March 16.
But no such declaration has been made regarding contenders at UEFA’s elections on April 5 in Helsinki, leading to speculation that FIFA is dragging its feet until the last possible moment.
Failing to give Mutko the green light would doubtless lead to speculation that he is being investigated by FIFA’s ethics committee after being cited by the World Anti-Doping Agency for his alleged role in state-sponsored cheating by Russian athletes including footballers.
Mutko has served on the top table at FIFA and UEFA since 2009 and like all candidates his application has to be vetted by FIFA’s Review Committee which comprises Miguel Poiares Maduro, a former Portuguese government minister, his deputy Mukul Mudgal of India and Peru’s Felipe Cantuarias.
One of the main criteria for assessing candidates for senior FIFA positions is whether they have a criminal record. Although Mutko has apparently cleared this hurdle and has denied any wrongdoing, any successful prosecution for ethics violations against him would almost certainly lead to him being kicked out of FIFA, a huge embarrassment for the entire Russian sporting apparatus.
Mutko apparently made his feelings known during a behind-closed-doors meeting of the FIFA Council in January. Sources paint a picture of the Russian FA boss erupting after being informed that as well as the Swiss judicial investigation into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid processes, FIFA was maintaining its own internal investigation at huge expense.
Mutko’s case is further compromised by the fact that he not only heads Russia’s 2018 World Cup organising committee and the country’s national football federation but last October was promoted from Sports Minister to Deputy Prime Minister.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has denied that he privately urged Mutko to step away from his various roles in football administration as a result of the damaging Russian doping cover-up. Far from alienating himself from Mutko, however, Infantino was reported on Swiss television as having flown in a private jet provided by Mutko last November.
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