UNTIL his sensational resignation on Tuesday, Joseph “Sepp” Blatter was the numero uno at the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), surviving many battles till he finally bit the dust after fresh facts emerged about the magnitude of corruption at the World Football governing body.
Once the Federal Bureau of investigation (FBI) got interested, took up the case and arrested nine top members of the federation on the eve of the May 29 elections, it was clear it would be very difficult for Blatter, who was eventually elected for his fifth term, to survive the scandal this time. He had stayed on distancing himself from the mess happening under his supervision.
However, when the heat became unbearable, the 79-year-old had no option but to beat a retreat and resign from his post, electing to stay on as a figure head until fresh elections are held. As the head of an organisation enmeshed in corruption scandal, he had no other option but to exit the esteemed federation.
Born on March 10, 1936, the Swiss football administrator served as the eighth president of FIFA from June 1998 to June 2015. From a background in business, public relations, Swiss and international sports administration, Blatter became the General Secretary of FIFA in 1981 and served in that role until he was elected president at the 51st FIFA Congress on June 8, 1998, succeeding João Havelange, who had headed the organisation since 1974. Blatter was re-elected in 2002, 2007, 2011, and 2015. However, his first involvement with FIFA was in 1975, when he became the technical director of the body.
Like his presidential predecessor, Havelange, Blatter has sought to increase the influence of African and Asian countries in world football through the expansion of participating teams in various FIFA tournaments, yet has persistently been dogged by claims of corruption and financial mismanagement. Blatter’s reign has overseen a vast expansion in revenues generated by the FIFA World Cup accompanied by the collapse of the marketing company, International Sport and Leisure and numerous allegations of corruption in the bidding processes for the awarding of FIFA tournaments.
Blatter was born in Visp in the Swiss canton of Valais. He studied in Saint Maurice, before getting a degree in business and economics from the University of Lausanne in 1959. Blatter has had a long and varied career, including posts such as head of public relations for the tourist board of his native canton, as well as general secretary of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation. He was Director of Sports Timing and Relations of Longines S.A., and was involved in the organisation of the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games.
Despite winning four terms as President, Blatter and FIFA have often been dogged by controversy and allegations of corruption. His tenure has seen controversy over allegations of financial mismanagement and the acceptance of bribes resulting in Qatar’s successful 2022 World Cup bid.
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Blatter has attracted criticisms from the media, senior football figures and players due to controversial statements. These include the claim that Latin American countries would applaud John Terry for having an extramarital affair, and that on-field racism could be corrected with a handshake, among others. He also drew criticism at the 2014 FIFA World Cup seeding, when he interrupted a “one minute silence” for former South-African President Nelson Mandela, who died the day before, after 11 seconds. Michael van Praag, the chairman of the Royal Dutch Football Association, called his behaviour “preposterous” and expressed the hope that Blatter would not be reelected in 2015.
Blatter has been publicly heckled at the World Cup in Seoul and the Confederations Cup in Frankfurt, both in 2006, in his home town of Visp in 2011, at the 2012 Women’s Olympic Football Final Medal Ceremony, and at the opening of Confederations Cup match in 2013. In order to avoid protest, no speeches were given at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The former FIFA boss appeared to incur much criticism during 2007 and 2008 for his apparent persistence in attempting to change European Union employment law regarding the number of foreign players football clubs can field at any. His plans are to set a restriction to five foreign players and having six players from the said team’s own nationality. He believed this would help the countries’ national sides by having more national players playing in their leagues. Blatter has often referred to the English Premier League as one of the major problems in football and uses it as an example, due to the influence of foreign players, coaches and owners in the top teams.
Despite his failings, Blatter would be remembered for ensuring that all the continents had a feel of major championships by backing hosting bids from smaller nations.
The Nation