Follow our Lead on Reform, FIFA Boss Blatter Tells European Football
May 24, 2013
FIFA president Sepp Blatter raised polite eyebrows at UEFA congress here today by urging the European federation to follow the world federation’s lead on reform.
This may have come as a surprise to those in the European governing body who believe the world federation has set the wrong sort of leadership example over the last scandal-enshrouded years.
However Blatter, in a keynote speech, talked up the progress made by the reform process in which only “one or two points” needed to be addressed.
He said: “We have had some problems inside FIFA, starting in 2010, and in 2011 we had not only the idea but the will for reform.
Women’s role
“We are missing one or two points . . . but we have already installed the famous ethics committee, the audit and compliance committee and we have given a little bit more place to women’s football in our executive committee.”
Then he told delegates from the 53 European associations: “It only works if you, in your associations and UEFA organisation, will have the same committees or commissions. If not it is impossible for FIFA to be in control of everything.”
Blatter praised UEFA for its strengths but cautioned that it needed to be aware of the responsibility that “those who have more should share with those who have less: this is the principle of our game in the development programmes.”
Shared objectives
Certainly Blatter considered that the “devils in our society” – cheating, corruption, doping and racism – were issues which demanded a unified attack.
He congratulated UEFA on stepping up its reaction to racism and noted that FIFA would be adopting its own new measures at its own congress next week.
“We cannot change the world,” concluded Blatter, “but we can prepare a better future for the game.”
Earlier a formal welcome to London had been issued to UEFA, its delegates and guests by the Duke of Cambridge in his role as president of the Football Association, followed by its outgoing chairman David Bernstein.
Keir Radnedge has been covering football worldwide for more than 40 years, writing 33 books, from tournament guides to comprehensive encyclopedias, aimed at all ages.
His journalism career included The Daily Mail for 20 years as well as The Guardian and other national newspapers and magazines in the UK and around the world. He is a former editor, and remains a lead columnist, with World Soccer, generally recognised as the premier English language magazine on global football.
In addition to his writing, Keir has been a regular analyst for BBC radio and television, Sky Sports, Sky News, Aljazeera and CNN.
Keir Radnedge’s Twitter: @KeirRadnedge
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