Fifa’s Ethics Committee has cleared Sepp Blater of turning a blind eye to possible corrupt behaviour within football’s world governing body. However, it has found that two executive committee members, Mohamed bin Hammam and Jack Warner, do have a case to answer and they will be investigated further. As a consequence, Mohamed bin Hammam has stepped down as an opponent to Sepp Blatter in this week’s election of a president.
Fifa’s Ethics Committee has cleared Sepp Blater of turning a blind eye to possible corrupt behaviour within football’s world governing body. However, it has found that two executive committee members, Mohamed bin Hammam and Jack Warner, do have a case to answer and they will be investigated further. As a consequence, Mohamed bin Hammam has stepped down as an opponent to Sepp Blatter in this week’s election of a president.
On the face of it, this all falls rather short of Fifa encountering its ‘Salt City moment’, a reference to the reform forced on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after allegations of bribes during the bidding process for the 2002 Winter Games. This threatened the IOC’s relationship with sponsors.
For the time being, sponsors are falling back on the idea that they are backers of the World Cup and not Fifa, a rather fine distinction. However, Adidas, Fifa’s sportswear sponsor, did say last week that ‘the negative tenor of the public debate is neither good for football nor for Fifa as an institution or its partners.’ In other words, shape up or there might be trouble ahead.
Investigative journalists have been making allegations against Fifa for years, but this is the first time allegations have been made by a member of Fifa’s 24-strong executive committee, by the US member Chuck Blazer, a somehow appropriate name for an American involved in international sports governance.
At its congress this week, Fifa will report record profits of $630m (£382m). However, Fifa has been losing friends fast. An overly competitive race for the next two World Cups resulted in two winners – but several aggrieved losers. Sponsors and broadcasters have been squeezed for more money to maintain or acquire World Cups.
It’s a valuable brand, but it could also be tarnished if Fifa doesn’t get its act together. The Ethics Committee has been in existence for around three years, but this is its first significant act, even if it falls short of what some hoped for.