KNIVES ARE OUT FOR SEPTIC SEPP
UEFA consider World Cup boycott Platini tries to make Blatter quit Today’s election too close to call
SEPP BlattEr is on the brink of being ousted as FIFa president, even if he wins today’s election. the 79-year-old is the favourite to win a ludicrous fifth term when he goes up against Prince ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan this afternoon, despite the mass corruption scandal this week which has discredited his FIFa tenure.
But Prince ali has fast turned from being a lame-duck candidate into a credible alternative to Blatter and the Swiss might fear that the 209-strong electorate in Zurich will turn against him today.
Even if Blatter wins his future is under huge threat, with UEFA considering leaving FIFA, a move which would destroy football’s world governing body.
On another extraordinary day, Blatter saw former allies turn against him and opponents from around the globe call on him to end his 17 years in power.
UEFa said that if Blatter wins the election, their 54 countries will meet before the Champions league final in Berlin a week tomorrow to discuss their next move.
England’S david gill announced that he will not take his place as the British vice-president on the FIFa ExCo if Blatter remains in charge.
tHE rest of UEFa’s representatives on FIFa admitted they could join gill in opting out, threatening their participation in the World Cup and other FIFa competitions.
gIll called not playing in the World Cup a ‘last resort’ but UEFa president Michel Platini refused to rule it out.
PlatInI tried to persuade Blatter to resign both in an emergency meeting yesterday with other confederation leaders, and then in a private conversation.
BlattEr broke his silence for the first time since Wednesday’s police raids to defiantly tell the FIFa Congress opening ceremony he will help root out FIFa’s corruptors.
PrInCE alI told UEFa he has 60 votes from the other confederations, on top of the 45 or 46 he expects from Europe — a number which would see him oust Blatter.
KEy sponsors Visa and Hyundai released statements saying they would ‘reassess’ their deals if FIFa does not clean up their act.
But it is not just UEFa circling the wounded FIFa chief. US attorney general loretta lynch has made it clear the US Justice department’s indictments against 18 people for taking £100million bribes and kickback charges going back 24 years are ‘just the beginning’. there is also a Swiss criminal investigation into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to russia and Qatar.
although Blatter is feeling the heat in his native Switzerland for the first time, there is more chance of a smoking gun emerging in the United States. after being heavily implicated in what has happened on his FIFa watch, it is difficult to see how Blatter can escape when the questioning starts in the US of those facing extradition from Switzerland following the seven arrests at the five-star Baur au lac hotel at dawn on Wednesday. Plea bargaining will be attractive when there is a possibility of 20 years in jail.
Blatter is not directly involved in any of the corruption charges but gill said, after winning a round of applause for telling UEFa delegates he couldn’t work with Blatter: ‘Seismic events have happened this week and if he can’t see the enormity of what has happened and resign, then I recognise to be on that body would be futile. the crime sheet is enormous over many, many years and Blatter not resigning is indicative of the problem.
‘In Prince ali, we have a very credible and plausible candidate who can take FIFa forward and I would be delighted to work for him in a new FIFa. I can categorically state I will never attend a meeting with Mr Blatter in the chair.’
gill says that all avenues will be explored in the event of a Blatter triumph when the UEFa family meet in Berlin. One of those — if Prince ali wins enough votes today — could be calling an Extraordinary general Meeting with a no- confidence motion against Blatter.
But Blatter is still standing amid the carnage, insisting last night at the Congress opening ceremony that there was no room for ‘corruption of any kind’. He said: ‘the events of Wednesday have cast a long shadow over football and this Congress. they bring shame and humiliation to football and demand change from all of us. We cannot allow the reputation of football to be dragged through the mud any longer.’
the FIFa president doesn’t accept that he should carry the can as the leader. He added: ‘I know many people hold me ultimately responsible… but I cannot monitor everyone all the time. there can be no room for corruption of any kind. let this be the turning point.’
Platini has already told Blatter ‘enough is enough’ — both in an emergency meeting with the other confederation chiefs and then in a private meeting between just the two of them.
Prime Minister david Cameron also called for Blatter’s resignation yesterday. Platini said: ‘I have affection for Mr Blatter and he always said he was like an uncle to me. But enough is enough. If I cannot tell him it is time to stop, then who can? I have stomach trouble when I think about the FIFa problem. I get the impression now that if FIFa is not going to do anything, the FBI will do it for them. I said (to Blatter), “I’m asking you to leave, FIFa’s image is terrible and I’m the first to be disgusted by this. People have had enough. there have been too many scandals. FIFa doesn’t deserve to be treated this way”. But he said he couldn’t leave all of a sud- den. Sepp was affected with what I said, but he said it was too late.’
Platini added that a ‘very large majority of national associations from Europe will vote for Prince ali, and if they are to be trusted, I believe he will get 45 or 46 votes from Europe. I’m trying to convince a couple who are not convinced’.
asked if he believed Blatter could lose today, Platini answered: ‘I think he can be beaten, yes. Before Wednesday, no. But after what has happened, yes.’
One of those certain to support Blatter from Europe is Spain’s FIFa ExCo member angel Maria Villar llona. a two-thirds majority from the 209 voters is needed to win on the first ballot, with a straight majority in the second vote.
Fa chairman greg dyke dismissed any possibility the FIFa scandal would lead to the 2018 World Cup being held in England. He said: ‘this is about one thing: how do you rebuild the reputation of FIFa and turn it into an open, fair and honest organisation with Blatter still at the helm? Blatter has to go through a resignation, or he has to be voted out or we have to find a third way.’
However, not all of FIFa’s global family think that way. Blatter’s unswerving support in africa was underlined by guinea-Bissau Fa president Manuel nascimento lopes, who said it was ‘blasphemy’ to blame Blatter for the conduct of others.’
He found an ally in russian president Vladimir Putin, who said: ‘this is yet another blatant attempt (by the United States) to extend its jurisdiction to other states.’