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FIFA president Sepp Blatter quit his post at the helm of the governing football body this afternoon in a press conference that surprised the world.
(Copyright Valeriano Di Domenico/AFP 2015)
Barely a dozen journalists turned up in Zurich today for a hastily arranged press conference called by Blatter, who was re-elected as FIFA president last Friday on May 29. FIFA officials did not offer an agenda for the press conference but it turned out to be a landmark event.
“My mandate does not appear to be supported by everybody,” said Blatter. “This is why I will call an extraordinary meeting… I will organise extraordinary congress for a replacement for me as president. I will not stand…
“FIFA’s interest are dear to me. That’s why I have taken this decision. What counts most for me, is the institution of Fifa and football around the world.”
It was a remarkable turnaround from the 79-year-old Swiss administrator who, just last week, crowed about his successful re-election, and condemned critics as part of a plot hatched by United States and England in retaliation for their failed 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids.
Ironically, former FIFA vice-president and Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner might be the person who inadvertently brought him down.
Warner never delivered the “tsunami” he promised in 2011, when he was expelled from FIFA for conspiracy to rig the presidential election in favour of Qatari candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam. And the Trinidadian certainly never spoke about FIFA corrupt World Cup bidding processes, which the US Department of Justice suggested that football officials exploited to amass personal fortunes.
However, a shocking letter from the South Africa Football Association (SAFA) president Molefi Oliphant to FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke on 4 March 2008 might have been the tipping point.
The letter, which was revealed by South Africa’s Sunday Times News on May 31 and tweeted by PA journalist Martyn Ziegler, asked FIFA to pay what appeared to be a US$10 million bribe to Warner, the then CONCACAF president:
“SAFA (…) confirms that (1) FIFA shall withhold US$10 million from the Organising Committee’s future operational budget funding in order to finance the Diaspora Legacy Programme, thereby reducing the Organising Committee’s overall budget from US$423 million to US$413 million.
“(2) The Diaspora Legacy Programme shall be administered and implemented directly by the President of CONCACAF who shall act as the fiduciary of the Diaspora Legacy Programme Fund of US$10 million.”
This payment, according to the US indictment, was then made by FIFA, via a US account, to Warner’s Caribbean Football Union (CFU) bank account and two accounts in Trinidad.
The letter implicated the FIFA general secretary and arguably, by extension, Blatter, who was once general secretary himself before he succeeded former president Joao Havelange in 1998.
Thus far, FIFA has denied Valcke’s involvement and instead pointed the finger at former Finance Committee chairman, Julio Grondona.
“The payments totalling $10 million were authorised by the then chairman of the finance committee,” the world governing body responded, “and executed in accordance with the organisation regulations of FIFA.”
Grondona is not expected to deny the accusation, since he died last year. But Blatter, for once, was unable to ride out the controversy.
Last Friday, the FIFA president told a large media gathering: “For the next four years, I will be in command of this boat called Fifa and we will bring it back ashore, we will bring it back to the beach.
“The age is no problem. You have people that are 50 who look old.”
Four days later, though, Blatter said a hasty goodbye to FIFA in a surprise press conference.
Domenico Scala, FIFA’s head of audit and compliance committee, told the media that an election for a new president will be held between December 2015 and March 2016. Blatter will remain as president until then.
Blatter recommended new term limits for the FIFA president and executive committee members although such suggestions would need to be ratified by the broader football membership.
“I am dedicated to putting into place the conditions for the election of a new president,” said Scala. “There will be reforms to how the elections are conducted. Under the rules governing FIFA, the election must be voted on by members at the FIFA congress.
“The president will ask the executive committee to form an extraordinary congress to elect a new president. While the timing will ultimately be up to the executive committee the timing of election likely to be between December and March.
(Courtesy Fabrice Coffrini/ AFP)
“FIFA is determined to address the issues that are afflicting FIFA. We want to fundamentally reform the way in which people see FIFA.”
In 2011, South Africa President Jacob Zuma conferred the Order of Ikhamanga in Gold to Oliphant for his role in ensuring that South Africa won the bid. It is uncertain whether the recent revelations will prompt parallel investigations within that country.
Warner, who allegedly received the bribe, continues to declare his innocence of all charges and has vowed to fight extradition.
Last week, the ILP political leader criticised the Government for not defending him against the United States authorities.
(Copyright AFP 2014/Pius Utomi Ekpei)
FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s full resignation speech:
“I have been reflecting deeply about my presidency and about the forty years in which my life has been inextricably bound to FIFA and the great sport of football. I cherish FIFA more than anything and I want to do only what is best for FIFA and for football. I felt compelled to stand for re-election, as I believed that this was the best thing for the organization. That election is over but FIFA’s challenges are not. FIFA needs a profound overhaul.
“While I have a mandate from the membership of FIFA, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football — the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and love football as much as we all do at FIFA.
“Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective Congress. I will continue to exercise my functions as FIFA President until that election.
“The next ordinary FIFA Congress will take place on 13 May 2016 in Mexico City. This would create unnecessary delay and I will urge the Executive Committee to organize an Extraordinary Congress for the election of my successor at the earliest opportunity. This will need to be done in line with FIFA’s statutes and we must allow enough time for the best candidates to present themselves and to campaign.
“Since I shall not be a candidate, and am therefore now free from the constraints that elections inevitably impose, I shall be able to focus on driving far-reaching, fundamental reforms that transcend our previous efforts. For years, we have worked hard to put in place administrative reforms, but it is plain to me that while these must continue, they are not enough.
“The Executive Committee includes representatives of confederations over whom we have no control, but for whose actions FIFA is held responsible. We need deep-rooted structural change.
“The size of the Executive Committee must be reduced and its members should be elected through the FIFA Congress. The integrity checks for all Executive Committee members must be organised centrally through FIFA and not through the confederations. We need term limits not only for the president but for all members of the Executive Committee.
“I have fought for these changes before and, as everyone knows, my efforts have been blocked.
“This time, I will succeed.”
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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
And the fools, think they operating in Trinidad and Tobago, by passing money through the American banking system all willy nilly! Depositing money throughout North America in amounts less than $10,000 foolishly believing that the IRS will not notice! They think it is the T&T FIU or what. Joke is on them…
True Lasana but as I mentioned previously, Blatter could not have been surprised by this if he was culpable. That’s why I don’t think that this was the causal factor.
And if the programme doesn’t exist. You cannot say give US$10 million to something that doesn’t exist Kendall Tull. Again, that is fraud.
If you say “Well I thought the guy was going to start program and use money wisely” then there wouldn’t be such a thing as fraud really.
Then the givers of bribes would never be arrested. You would make a nonsense of white collar crime to accept that premise.
As I said before, if I gave with the intent to start a programme and you used the funds for other purposes, that’s misappropriation on your part.
Kendall Tull, let them show proof of intent to start programme then. Handing over money isn’t proof of intent. Wilful ignorance might pop up again.
my issues are that the T&T banks will all get off scotch free in this—even though there have been CLEAR violations of the money laundering laws. can some T&T attorney comment on THOSE possibilities?
Did programme ever start Kendall? And if not whey de morney??
Ah setta ole tief!!!
Ah ha….so dais it Lasana that Diaspora thinga majig doesn’t exist!!! Was tossing it around to figure out what made the letter so damning but hadn’t had much time today to check out the story in more detail……
Ah setta ole tief!!!
That continues to astonish me. They just turn a blind eye to corruption. What you see in that memorandum is how to pocket $10 million dollars USD. The Diaspora Legacy Program does not exist yet is overseen by the President of CONCACAF, Jack Warner! You search for that program today, yet you cannot find it. I’ll tell you where it is… in Jack Warner’s pocket!
What Dennis said Lasana.
I think world football really must give a massive thank you ( in cash or kind) to Onion fan, Mr Warner for kindly accepting 10 mil from S Africa to further football in the diaspora. That really magnanimous gesture finally put the boot in on Sepp. Others tried and failed. As the British press might say, ‘It’s Jack wot did it’. I think you should be leading the ‘thank yous’, Lasana. 🙂
The programme didn’t have to exist prior though. One could easily argue that the intent was to start said programme.
Valcke will be charged—if at all—in Swiss courts. the US doesnt have jurisdiction over that transaction. under the RICO Act FIFA will have to be declared an international criminal enterprise in order for the US courts to have jurisdiction in that particular transaction.
I guess we will see in time. Blatter would also have known about this before the elections so it cannot possibly have been a surprise.
I would think so Kendall. I’m surprised that we haven’t heard of Valcke’s fate yet. But let’s see what happened next.
In the Visa scandal over a decade ago, a Judge ruled than Valcke was so dishonest that he even lied when speaking about his other lies. He was the FIFA head of marketing then. Blatter promoted him.
There is a terminology called: Wilful ignorance.
A Judge would rule whether Valcke and FIFA ought to have known that their US$10 million payment was going to a company that doesn’t exist.
Ah. Fair enough but that puts Valcke in the frying pan, not Blatter directly and he hasn’t gone anywhere. Even if he rolled over on Blatter, he would still have to go.
The Diaspora Programme referenced doesn’t exist Kendall Tull and Dennis Allen. That means it was fraud. SAFA and Warner must have obviously both known. And FIFA facilitated it.
Kendall, have you heard of willful ignorance? The US has used that precedent before. Wilful ignorance won’t save you in the US courts.
*GASPS*
*Hand flies to cover open mouth*
you mean…:-O *flies land on open mouth* we were…bamboozled all along?
The programme mentioned in the letter Kendall Tull doesn’t exist. Don’t mistake cunning for intelligence. They are not always the same. Don’t give Blatter and FIFA too much credit.
It is not misappropriated funds if the Diaspora Programme doesn’t exist. It is fraud.
Lasana – the letter gave a reason. I would think it highly unlikely that a bribe was paid in this manner. These people are greedy but they don’t strike me as being that stupid. I don’t think this letter does much at all.
There will be more revelations to come. Not only concacaf but also other confederations!
Let’s be clear Lasana. The US is claiming it’s a bribe but there is no proof of that presented at this time. The only thing that is clear is that the funds were intended for CONCACAF and they were allegedly misappropriated by Warner. That is a very different thing.
Something else is at play here.
Maybe Deosaran Bisnath. But the US authorities are not playing around. The doors are closing in.
I’m speculating here Kendall Tull. I don’t see what else has changed since last Friday when Blatter was re-elected.
FIFA will be saying that it gave US$10 million to Warner without knowing why. Whether they can defend that position, I don’t know.
The fact is the US authorities are getting closer. A bribe was paid. And it was paid by FIFA through a US account.
Maybe the brokers behind the scene decided it was time to cut their losses and run.
Kendall Tull I hear you on your comments…there must be much more than this letter which really does not prove bribery in the least. My qyestion is where did the money come from to open CONCACAF? Which country gave up possibly $189 million to open this CONCACAF? There is a lot in that answer….#justasking
Ohh the plot thickens ***Grabbing Popcorn***
Thats a book you asking for Ras
Lasana Liburd could this be another FIFA trick? He could be buying time until they can hold fresh elections (December earliest, so they say). In the interim, he will do all he can to “reform” and then offer himself as candidate. As you know only too well, these FIFA crooks are brilliant at trickery. Blatter is trying a Hail Mary, and it may work.
“gift”…it was a “gift” people…lets not forget that. and a noble one at that! think of all the work the…[wait, let me check the fund name again…gimme ah sec]
that THAT FUND…has done in the Diaspora!!! why the legacy-ness of the #EPIC works done by this noble gift was…wow. epic and noble indeed!
Just thinking legally, there no proof in the letter upon which a viable case can be based. Perhaps the lawyers need to chime in and advise?
I am learning so much about what real power could do. Lasana it would be nice if you could write over the course of two or three days, a comprehensive account of this entire sordid affair.
And being instructed to redirect a payment due to SA doesn’t constitute knowledge that it was a bribe.
Yes but that doesn’t constitute proof of anything. The Executive reports to him and he hasn’t taken responsibility for them up to last Friday.
Needs can always be met, but greed can never be fulfilled.
Kendall Tull, the FIFA general secretary answers only to the FIFA president.
This story came out on May 31. And then hit the world after a retweet.
I am sure Blatter and Valcke discussed it.
Don’t understand why this would have prompted his resignation Lasana. It isn’t addressed to him nor did he sign off on the payment.
well well well, someone going to get licks and might just have a cell nxt to Jack.
It linked the FIFA general secretary directly to the payment of a bribe. And the FIFA general secretary answers only to the president.
Ravi Maharaj No need to wonder. We all know they turn a blind eye to the Mr Bigs. How do you think they can declare such huge profits at the end of every quarter.
He has a lot of time between now and March next year, to mess things up, really good. He should have walked away last week, but stayed on to jumbie up things. All planned, if you ask me.
More revelations to come, implications and ramifications far and wide !
Credit where it is due, this is the story that did it:
http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/stnews/2015/05/31/Safa-letter-could-hold-key-to-10m-World-Cup-bribe-claim
This, right here is why, people with glass windows must not throw stones. Now everybody’s pie-in-the-sky is falling down. Complicit governments/political parties, next. Oh what many tangled webs…
i wonder who accepted the money in the banks without reporting it to the FIU? Hmmmmm…i wonder if there are more people wiring money without proper protocol being followed…..
https://youtu.be/_Ib5H5auk-c
The ole saying “little axe does cut down big tree” a measly 10 million by TIEFA standards bring down Sepp. The tsumani start yuh think??
You really think that SA money was the difference Lasana? He never signed any documents authorising the payment as I understand.
That is just the tip of the iceberg.
It is clearly blatant corruption… bold in your face corruption.
Lasana, yuh cleanin house, bredda..lol
All I can say is wow! The sting in the tail has finally caught up with Sepp and hit him the ultimate spirit blow! this is vindication, old chap. The Belly has hit The Mouth and felled The Beast!