FIFA MUST ACCEPT A REORGANIZATION

The scandal of the secret FIFA voting procedure which led to the adoption of Russia and Qatar as hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups has left everyone except Sepp Blatter, the President of FIFA, bemused if not simply horrified !!!

On 2 December 2010, The Times newspaper published on the morning of the votes an admirable statement of information concerning the 22 members of the Executive Committee who had the right to vote. It revealed that 6 members were under the age of 60; 7 were aged between 60 and 65, and 9 were aged over 65 !!!

Sepp Blatter has been involved in the organisations of the last 8 World Cups, either as General Secretary of FIFA on the first five occasions or as President during the last three World Cups. He is now aged 74, having served FIFA in one capacity or another since 1975, i.e. during 35 years.

A perusal of the Statutes of the FIFA Organisation reveals that there is no age limit concerning the re-election of the President or any member of the Executive Committee.

An obligatory retirement age would certainly rejouvinate the Executive Committee and avoid the number of problems and abuses encountered recently. On the internet at least three current members (not suspended) are cited as having been involved in bribes a few years ago.

The Statutes of FIFA, which can be easily consulted on the internet, make no mention of whether the President or Executive Committee members can be or are remunerated. Likewise, who has the power to authorise any payments of remuneration if they are made ?

What the Statutes of FIFA do make clear is that Elections are to be carried out by a secret ballot !!! This is understandable generally but in retrospect regrettable in view of the recent elections of Russia and Qatar as World Cup hosts. Everyone wants to know what motivated Executives of the Committee to vote the way they did.

Finally, is it morally right to permit Zinedine Zidane, a former international footballer for France, to present the candidacy of Qatar ? Who accepted or endorsed this ? Presentations are normally proud, national duties !!!