Blatter is considering another term as Fifa president. Photo: Michael Steen
It is the eve of the greatest spectacle in football and Sepp Blatter is set to embrace what could be his last World Cup as Fifa president.
The presidential elections will be held exactly one year from today’s Fifa annual congress and the race has already started.
Blatter is currently in his third term since his appointment in 1998. Having been re-elected in 2002 and 2007, he issued a plea to Fifa delegates last year to let him remain as president in 2011:
“I’ve not finished my mission yet. I need more time.” (Sepp Blatter, October 2009)
But time maybe running out for the Swiss as he faces stiff competition for next year.
Mohamed Bin Hammam, president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), has declared that Asia will enter a candidate to run against Blatter. He also told press that the Fifa presidency should be restricted to two terms:
“Eight years is enough for every president to focus on football. After that he’s looking after everything else other than football.” (Mohamed Bin Hamman, February 2010)
Blatter has come under fire for much of his 12-year reign. But how does he compare to past presidents?
Here are the good, bad and ugly of the eight Fifa presidents…
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Robert Guerin. Photo: FIFA
CV: Engineer. Newspaper editor. French national football team manager. Football committee secretary at the Union of French Athletic Sports Societies (USFSA) .
GOOD: Founder of Fifa. First and youngest president (aged 28). Fifa’s foundation act and statutes. Increased membership to 15 nations.
BAD: Attempts to organise an international competition failed. Died 1952 (aged 76).
UGLY: Only president to resign, after tournament plan flopped.
More: http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/fifa/historyfifa1.html
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Daniel Burley Woolfall. Photo: FIFA
CV: Civil servant. President Lancashire FA. Honorary Treasurer FA.
GOOD: Football competitions at 1908 London and 1912 Stockholm Olympics – both won by Great Britain. Drafted new Fifa constitution. Laws of the Game made compulsory. Membership up to 24 countries. Fifa’s first non-European members; South Africa, Argentina, Chile and USA.
BAD: Allowed paid players to compete in Olympics against amateur principles. First World War. Died 1918 (aged 66).
UGLY: Despite being English, made French the official language of Fifa.
More: http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/fifa/historyfifa2.html
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Jules Rimet. Photo: FIFA
CV: Lawyer. French Football Federation president. Honorary Fifa president.
GOOD: Longest-serving president (33 years). Membership grew from 20 to 85 nations. Creator of ‘Football Family’ ideal. First World Cup in Uruguay 1930 – ‘Father of the World Cup’ legacy. World Cup trophy renamed in his honour in 1946.
BAD: British FAs left Fifa in 1928. Second World War – 1942 World Cup postponed. Conservative. Against decentralisation (confederations). Died 1956 (aged 82).
UGLY: The Jules Rimet trophy was stolen twice. In England in 1966 before being recovered, and in Brazil in 1983. It has never been found.
More: http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/fifa/historyfifa3.html
http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/fifa/historyfifa4.html
http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/fifa/historyfifa5.html
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Rodolphe William Seeldrayers. Photo: FIFA
CV: Lawyer. Hockey international. National champion 110 metre hurdles. Founder and President of Racing Club Brussels, Belgium FA and Olympic Committee. IOC member.
GOOD: Longest-serving vice-president (27 years). Fifa’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
BAD: Died 1955 (aged 78).
UGLY: Reign as president (one year) shortest in history.
More: http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/fifa/historyfifa6.html
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Arthur Drewry. Photo: FIFA
CV: Grimsby Town FC chairman. Chair of the FA International Selection Committee. Football League president. FA general secretary. FA chairman.
GOOD: Helped British FAs rejoin Fifa in 1946. Maintained steady progress as president.
BAD: Died 1961 (aged 70).
UGLY: Started at a Lincolnshire fish-processing business, married his boss’ daughter and then replaced father-in-law as chairman of Grimsby Town; nicknamed ‘The Mariners’.
More: http://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10417~2067824,00.html
http://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10417~2068626,00.html
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Sir Stanley Rous. Photo: FIFA
CV: Referee (refereed 1934 FA Cup final and 36 international games). FA secretary. Knighthood. Commander of the British Empire.
GOOD: Maintained relations with Fifa when British FAs where not members. Rewrote Laws of the Game. Assisted British FAs return to Fifa in 1946. First televised World Cup globally and in colour. Brought World Cup to England in 1966.
BAD: Conservative attitude to change. Eurocentric mentality of football. Imperialist approach to Third World. Died 1986 (aged 91).
UGLY: Wrongly predicted an African nation would win the World Cup by 2000.
More: http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/news/newsid=71962.html
http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/tribute/rous/2561628
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Dr. Joao Havelange. Photo: FIFA
CV: Law. Olympian at Berlin 1936 (swimming), Helsinki 1952 (water polo) and Melbourne 1956 (Brazilian delegation leader). President of CBD (Brazilian Sports Federation). IOC member. Honorary Brazilian National Olympic member. Honorary Fifa president.
GOOD: First non-European president. Expanded World Cup to 32 teams. Membership grew to 204 nations. Fifa Confederations Cup and World Championships for juniors, youth, women and indoor teams. Built new Fifa headquarters. Made football a multi-billion dollar business.
BAD: Autocratic ruler. Allegations of vote-rigging and bribery. Banned Pele from 1994 World Cup draw. Broke his 2006 World Cup promise to England. Canvassed votes for Blatter’s 1998 presidential campaign.
UGLY: Twice nominated for Nobel Peace Prize and appointed to IOC anti-corruption commission, amid speculation he was corrupt.
More: http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/fifa/historyfifa7.html
http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/fifa/historyfifa8.html
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Joseph Sepp Blatter. Photo: FIFA
CV: General secretary of Swiss Ice Hockey Federation. Director of sports timing and public relations at Longines. Fifa director of technical programmes. Fifa general secretary. IOC member.
GOOD: World Championships for beach soccer and futsal. Brought World Cup to Asia and Africa. Humanitarian work with UNICEF, SOS Children’s Villages. Goal programme.
BAD: Allegations of vote-rigging and bribery. Abused general secretary role to campaign for presidency. Anti-English: Opposed England’s re-entry into European football. Suggested female players wear tighter shorts. Said World Cup should be held every two years. Fifa’s money-making World Club Championship. Altitude ban on games above 2,500 metres. Ban on over-indulgent celebrations.
UGLY: Married daughter of Fifa general secretary Helmut Kaser, whom was forced out in favour of Blatter.
VERY UGLY INDEED: Married and divorced three times - last wife was a friend of his daughter’s.
More: http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/federation/president/biography.html
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The above suggests Blatter’s request for more time is a desperate attempt to stay in office based on having a poor record to his predecessors.
At the age of 74, and being the third-longest serving president, time is not on Blatter’s side.
His reign may well be over when the elections are held in 12 months’ time.
(polls)
Which president did you vote for and why?
All comments welcome
******** NEWSFLASH! *********
(5 January)
Blatter starting to feel the heat
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