Blatter Gets FIFA’s Boot

FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, is eyeballdeep in a huge corruption scandal — yet its president, Sepp Blatter, has no idea why the organization just banned him and another top official for eight years.

“Suspended eight years for what?” Blatter asked, claiming he was the victim — or “punching ball,” as he put it. Of course, if he cared one lick about the sport, he’d have banned himself long ago, to help restore FIFA’s soiled image.

Instead, FIFA had to give him the heaveho Monday. It also booted Michel Platini, president of European soccer’s governing body, who’d been maneuvering to succeed Blatter as FIFA president in the next election.

The bans are little steps for world soccer’s little feet, but nonetheless key to any effort to clean up the sport. As US Attorney Gen eral Loretta Lynch says, FIFA’s corruption “is rampant, systemic and deeprooted, both abroad and here in the United States.”

At issue, specifically: a mysterious $2 million payment Blatter approved for Platini for supposed back salary — nine years later. FIFA says there was no written agreement and no legal basis for the transfer.

Blatter vows to appeal FIFA’s ban, but he’ll be lucky just to escape further punishment: Nearly two dozen people, including nine top soccer officials, have already been indicted in the global corruption probe, and Blatter is said to be in prosecutors’ sights.

Much like Albany politics, FIFA is clearly plagued by a culture of sleaze. And as with Albany, regaining the public’s trust will require a thorough cleansing. One that goes well beyond Blatter’s eightyear ouster.