Fifa President Sepp Blatter Archives

May 27, 2011

Fifa president Sepp Blatter under investigation

Blatter is bidding for a fourth presidential term at Fifa

Fifa has opened ethics proceedings against its president, Sepp Blatter.

The action follows a charge by Mohamed Bin Hammam, his rival in next week’s presidency election, that Blatter knew about alleged cash payments.

Bin Hammam and vice-president Jack Warner will also be at Sunday’s hearing to answer charges of bribery.

Blatter issued a statement saying: “I cannot comment on the proceedings that have been opened against me. The facts will speak for themselves.”

The ethics committee are bound by their rules to investigate any complaint by an executive committee member under article 16 of the ethics code.

Bin Hammam and Warner face allegations from executive committee member Chuck Blazer that they offered bribes at a meeting of the Caribbean Football Union on 10 and 11 May.

A file of evidence claims bundles of cash of up to $40,000 were handed over to members of the CFU at the meeting in Trinidad.

In turn, Bin Hammam is effectively claiming Blatter was aware of some wrongdoing but did not report it, in itself a breach of the code.

The committee, chaired by Namibian judge Petrus Damaseb, will also be under pressure to decide whether Blatter will face any charges or not.

The move to place Blatter, one of the most powerful men in football, under investigtion is the latest twist in an increasingly bitter fight for the presidency of the sport’s global governing body.

And it also follows weeks of damging headlines and allegations in the wake of the vote for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Analysis

David Bond,
BBC sports editor

Fifa is now an organisation completely at war and many will say they should suspend the presidential election

BBC sports editor David Bond said: “Fifa is now an organisation completely at war. They cannot possibly continue in this way and many people will say they should suspend the presidential election, which takes place next Wednesday.

“Under Fifa’s ethics code, they are duty bound, if a member of the executive committee makes a complaint to the ethics committee, to then investigate it.

“So, it may be that the allegations against Blatter don’t come to much, and the allegations against Bin Hammam and Warner could be far more serious. Ultimately it seems the evidence against Blatter is only Bin Hammam’s word against his.

“It is very difficult to predict exactly what will happen next, but it’s hard to see this as anything other than a watershed moment for Fifa.

“It feels like at last the dam is breaking around them. It is a bit like the scene at the end of Reservoir Dogs when everyone has a gun pointed at each other’s heads.”

Blatter has been president of Fifa since 1998.

Meanwhile, the FA is due to send to Fifa the report they commissioned by barrister James Dingemans QC into claims by their ex-chairman, Lord Triesman, that Warner and three other executive committee members made improper requests during England’s 2018 World Cup bid.

It is understood that only the claims against Warner have been corroborated by witnesses.

The claim that Warner asked for financial help to build an education centre has been backed up by Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards, while Dingemans’ file also includes an email from Warner to Triesman asking the FA to pay for Haiti’s World Cup TV rights.

March 3, 2011March 3, 2011

Africa’s World Cup Representation in Danger

Ghana Black Stars — The Black Stars of Ghana were the only African team to get to the knock-out stages in 2010

Football’s world governing body Fifa is meeting to decide how many places each continent receives at the next World Cup in 2014.

Six African nations took part in the 2010 tournament, because South Africa were the hosts.

The continent will almost certainly be cut back to five representatives for the next finals in Brazil.

There is a chance the figure could drop further, with other regions pressing hard for more places.

Africa’s performance in 2010, where of the continent’s contenders only Ghana made it out of the knock-out stages, will count against it.

Political pressures and lobbying in the expected tussle between incumbent Fifa president Sepp Blatter and his likely challenger Mohamed Bin Hammam will also have an impact.

Bin Hammam has been pushing for an increased representation from his Asian Confederation – which had four places plus a play-off against Oceania for South Africa.

Concacaf, the North and Central American and Caribbean region, is also pressing especially hard for more places than the current three plus a play-off spot.

South America is likely to get an extra berth because Brazil are the hosts.

Fifa is set to announce the decision at a news conference on Thursday, following a two-day meeting in Zurich.

Fifa is also going to announce Canada as the hosts of the 2015 Women’s World Cup – they are the only contenders after Zimbabwe pulled out of the running.

In addition, Ghana will find out whether it will host the U17 World Cup in 2013 and the U17 women’s competition in 2014 while Tunisia has bid for the U17 World Cup in 2015 and the U20 event in 2015.

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February 23, 2011February 23, 2011

Fifa Offers Sympathy to Somalia

Fifa President Sepp Blatter has offered sympathy to Somalia after one of the country’s best young players was killed by a suicide bomber in Mogadishu.

Under-20 international Abdi Salaan Mohamed Ali was among 10 people killed when a car bomb exploded on Monday.

Two other players, Mahmoud Amin Mohamed and Siid Ali Mohamed Xiis, were among 35 people injured.

Blatter wrote to Somali federation chief Said Mahmoud Nur “with a sad heart, having learned of the tragedy”.

“On behalf of Fifa… I wish to extend our condolences to you, the Somalian football community and, most importantly, all family, friends and loved ones of the victims,” the Fifa chief added.

“Please let them know that today, the football community stands by their side.”

Ali died after being struck by the blast following a training session near the police academy which was targeted by the bomber, while Mohamed and Xiis were wounded as they walked home.

A militant Islamic group claimed responsibility for the attack.

“On behalf of the entire family of Somali football I am sending my heartfelt condolence to the families, relatives and friends of the slain football player Abdi Salaan Mohamed Ali,” said Nur in a statement.

“He was one of our best players and was recently added to the national U-20 squad.”

The statement added that a book of condolence has been opened at the Somali Football Federation’s headquarters in Mogadishu where thousands have already conveyed their sadness.

“We are committed to continuing our duty in the war-torn country until we meet death,” the president said in his statement on Monday.

Blatter and Nur are likely to meet this week, with both scheduled to attend the Confederation of African Football’s general assembly in Sudan on Wednesday.

Somalia are one of Africa’s weakest footballing nations, ranked 176th in the world by Fifa, and without an Africa Cup of Nations appearance to their name.