Such is now the situation at FIFA, the world’s most powerful and influential sporting organisation, those reading the chronicles of what’s occured over the last six months in the future could be forgiven for thinking it’s all one big work of fiction.
Just six of the 22 ExCo members who voted on the 2018 and 2022 World Cups have either not been proven to be crooked, alleged of malpractice or investigated on corruption charges.
History will look back at this era not with hilarity, as many now do, but with horror. But if there’s one positive to emerge out of the muck, it’s that some sort of a cleansing process is occurring.
Once regarded as kingmakers in the global game, the crooked cabal of Jack Warner, Ricardo Texeira, Nicolas Leoz and Chuck Blazer has gone, while Blatter will exit next year, irrespective of wheter his appeal against the ethics committee’s suspension is successful or not.
In an apt turn of events, though, Blatter has been temporarily replaced by Issa Hayatou, a man no stranger to bribery accusations. Allegations he continues to deny. However, the case of Michel Platini is an altogether more complex situation.
Considered by some as the credible alternative to Blatter – based on nothing more than the fact that he was a truly brilliant player – his position as president-in-waiting is in serious doubt.
Regardless if his appeal against his own 90-day suspension proves fruitful, mud sticks and these allegations, true or not, in this climate can’t be good for his reputation.
Greg Dyke, the English FA rent-a-quote, is noticeably more quiet after wholeheartedly endorsing Platini, now admitting the Frenchman won’t be endorsed should he be found guilty.
Greg Dyke’s idea of himself as football’s avenging angel not looking quite so solid after Platini’s suspension. What a mess he made of that
— Oliver Holt (@OllieHolt22) October 8, 2015
But even if he’s proven innocent, can Dyke still justify backing him? Where would that leave him in the eyes of a British press hell-bent on stripping away FIFA’s cloak of corruption.
After spending the last year or so attempting to distance himself from Blatter, Platini is being drawn back to the Swiss and is quickly becoming damaged goods.
And while all this leaves Prince Ali bin Hussein of Jordan, in particular, in a position of strength, the feeling is growing that, irrespective of his or someone else’s good intentions, what is needed is not another FIFA man.
If they truly want to rid themselves of the past, the decks cannot just be cleaned, they have to be totally pulled out and the organisation rebuilt.
FIFA needs to look outside its tainted walls to an independent, external candidate, free of any kind of association with the era that has shamed the game it vows to protect.
