Fifa crisis: Blatter ‘working on reforms’ despite quitting

1
Sepp Blatter, FIFA President

Outgoing Fifa president Sepp Blatter says he is moving forward with a “comprehensive programme of reform” for world football’s governing body.

 

It comes after a tumultuous nine days for his organisation, amid claims of “systemic and deep-rooted” corruption.

Seven Fifa officials were held in a dawn raid last week in Zurich as they gathered for a congress which saw Mr Blatter re-elected for a fifth term.

 

Four days later, Mr Blatter announced he would step down early from the post.

He said he would remain at work until Fifa had chosen his successor in the coming months.

As part of an indictment alleging widespread corruption within Fifa over a period exceeding two decades, the US Department of Justice has charged 14 Fifa officials and associates, including the seven held in Zurich by Swiss police at the behest of US authorities. There are no charges against Mr Blatter himself.

 

Thursday saw several developments in the story:

Former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner, one of those indicted by the US justice department, said he would release an “avalanche” of evidence relating to Fifa’s financial transactions
Police in South Africa launched a preliminary inquiry into allegations that officials paid bribes to help secure the 2010 World Cup
The Football Association of Ireland said Fifa had paid it 5m euros to stop legal action over Thierry Henry’s handball in Ireland’s World Cup play-off defeat by France in 2009.
UK Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said England was ready to host the 2022 World Cup if Qatar was stripped of the tournament
In a statement issued on Thursday evening from Fifa HQ in Zurich, Mr Blatter reported that he had held a “a good, constructive meeting to establish a framework for action and a timetable” with Domenico Scala, chairman of the organisation’s audit and compliance committee.

 

The statement added that “president Blatter and Mr Scala are now working on the process to instigate meaningful reform of the administration and structure of Fifa”.

It further quoted Mr Blatter as saying: “I want a comprehensive programme of reform and I am very aware that only the Fifa congress can pass these reforms. Furthermore, the executive committee has a particular duty to share the responsibility of driving this process.”

Mr Blatter tweeted a picture of himself “working hard at reforms”.

BBC

 

1 COMMENT

Leave a Reply to Sibangani Dube Cancel reply