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| Sepp Blatter Says FIFA Must Police Itself | Sepp Blatter Says FIFA Must Police Itself |
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| ZURICH — Sepp Blatter, the president of world soccer’s governing body, acknowledged the “unprecedented and difficult times” for his organization on Thursday and said it must do a better job of policing itself, but he largely avoided taking responsibility for the actions of “a tiny minority” arrested in a corruption inquiry this week. | |
| Speaking at the opening ceremony of the annual congress of the members of FIFA, the governing body, Mr. Blatter initially struck a somber tone after the arrest of several top soccer officials during a dawn raid at a luxury hotel here on Wednesday. Mr. Blatter, who was not directly implicated in the indictment from the United States Department of Justice (which is seeking extradition of the executives detained on their request) or a separate investigation announced by Swiss authorities, said he knew that many soccer observers “hold me ultimately responsible for the actions and reputation of the global football community, whether it’s the destination of the hosting of a World Cup or a corruption scandal.” | |
| He continued: “We, or I, cannot monitor everyone all of the time. If people want to do wrong, they will also try to hide it. But it must also fall to me to be responsible for the reputation of our entire organization, and to find a way to fix things.” | He continued: “We, or I, cannot monitor everyone all of the time. If people want to do wrong, they will also try to hide it. But it must also fall to me to be responsible for the reputation of our entire organization, and to find a way to fix things.” |
| Mr. Blatter’s speech provided his first public comments since two FIFA vice presidents, including Jeffrey Webb, the president of the regional confederation that includes the United States, were among the officials roused from their beds by the police on Wednesday. Blatter had skipped several previously scheduled public appearances on Wednesday and Thursday, but he has maintained that he will stand for re-election as planned at the conclusion of Friday’s FIFA Congress. | |
| “The events of yesterday have cast a long shadow over football and over this week’s Congress,” he said. “Actions of individuals, if proven, bring shame and humiliation on football and demand action and change from us all. | “The events of yesterday have cast a long shadow over football and over this week’s Congress,” he said. “Actions of individuals, if proven, bring shame and humiliation on football and demand action and change from us all. |
| “We cannot allow the reputation of football and FIFA to be dragged through the mud any longer,” Mr. Blatter went on. “It has to stop here and now.” | “We cannot allow the reputation of football and FIFA to be dragged through the mud any longer,” Mr. Blatter went on. “It has to stop here and now.” |
| Some critics, including Michel Platini, the head of European soccer’s governing body, have called for Mr. Blatter, 79, to stand down as president. Mr. Blatter has refused. | |
| The audience at Zurich’s Theater 11, where the ceremony was held, greeted Mr. Blatter with polite applause when he took the stage after a short introduction. Early projections seemed to indicate that Mr. Blatter was likely to soundly defeat his only challenger in the presidential election, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, but it is difficult to predict how Wednesday’s arrests will affect the voting. | The audience at Zurich’s Theater 11, where the ceremony was held, greeted Mr. Blatter with polite applause when he took the stage after a short introduction. Early projections seemed to indicate that Mr. Blatter was likely to soundly defeat his only challenger in the presidential election, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, but it is difficult to predict how Wednesday’s arrests will affect the voting. |
| European federations, representing the wealthiest leagues and the players who drive the world’s game, continue to oppose Mr. Blatter, as they did before this week’s arrests. Those in Africa, Asia and South America remain his biggest supporters despite persistent revelations of corruption inside the organization. Both the African and Asian federations reiterated their support for Mr. Blatter on Thursday. | European federations, representing the wealthiest leagues and the players who drive the world’s game, continue to oppose Mr. Blatter, as they did before this week’s arrests. Those in Africa, Asia and South America remain his biggest supporters despite persistent revelations of corruption inside the organization. Both the African and Asian federations reiterated their support for Mr. Blatter on Thursday. |
| Mr. Platini, the president of Europe’s confederation, UEFA, said Thursday that 45 to 46 of its 53 members would vote for Prince Ali. | Mr. Platini, the president of Europe’s confederation, UEFA, said Thursday that 45 to 46 of its 53 members would vote for Prince Ali. |
| But Mr. Blatter, who won the presidency in 1998 and was elected without opposition in his last two campaigns, is surely counting on the election’s rules to preserve his power. FIFA’s president is elected by a one-country, one-vote system among its 209 member associations. That has allowed Mr. Blatter to use his popularity, the relationships he has cultivated over a 40-year career at FIFA and his ability to deliver millions of dollars in development money as an effective counterweight to his unpopularity in Europe. | But Mr. Blatter, who won the presidency in 1998 and was elected without opposition in his last two campaigns, is surely counting on the election’s rules to preserve his power. FIFA’s president is elected by a one-country, one-vote system among its 209 member associations. That has allowed Mr. Blatter to use his popularity, the relationships he has cultivated over a 40-year career at FIFA and his ability to deliver millions of dollars in development money as an effective counterweight to his unpopularity in Europe. |
| During his Thursday speech, Mr. Blatter did not directly address the election but indicated, in several different ways, that he believes he is the best person to lead FIFA’s change. | During his Thursday speech, Mr. Blatter did not directly address the election but indicated, in several different ways, that he believes he is the best person to lead FIFA’s change. |
| “We will cooperate with the authorities to make sure that anyone involved in wrongdoing, from top to bottom, is discovered and punished,” he said. “There can be no place for corruption of any kind | “We will cooperate with the authorities to make sure that anyone involved in wrongdoing, from top to bottom, is discovered and punished,” he said. “There can be no place for corruption of any kind |
| “The next few months will not be easy for FIFA. I’m sure more bad news may follow. But it is necessary to begin to restore trust in our organization. Let this be the turning point.” | “The next few months will not be easy for FIFA. I’m sure more bad news may follow. But it is necessary to begin to restore trust in our organization. Let this be the turning point.” |
| After leading an emergency meeting earlier in the day with representatives from FIFA’s six regional confederations, Mr. Blatter rebuffed a call from Mr. Platini, Europe’s top soccer official, to step down. | After leading an emergency meeting earlier in the day with representatives from FIFA’s six regional confederations, Mr. Blatter rebuffed a call from Mr. Platini, Europe’s top soccer official, to step down. |
| Mr. Platini insisted he believed that Mr. Blatter could be defeated after being engulfed by the scandal. “Before what happened yesterday, no,” Mr. Platini told reporters. “But after what happened recently, I think enough is enough and a number of people think likewise. There is a radical change in the mind-set of a number of heads of associations.” | Mr. Platini insisted he believed that Mr. Blatter could be defeated after being engulfed by the scandal. “Before what happened yesterday, no,” Mr. Platini told reporters. “But after what happened recently, I think enough is enough and a number of people think likewise. There is a radical change in the mind-set of a number of heads of associations.” |
| Mr. Platini said Prince Ali was qualified to be president, and he seemed to suggest that he had the added virtue of being resistant to corruption. “Prince Ali has all the qualities to be president,” he said. “He is young, he is ambitious, he is a man who can do well. He doesn’t need money; he is a prince.” | Mr. Platini said Prince Ali was qualified to be president, and he seemed to suggest that he had the added virtue of being resistant to corruption. “Prince Ali has all the qualities to be president,” he said. “He is young, he is ambitious, he is a man who can do well. He doesn’t need money; he is a prince.” |
| Mr. Blatter was not among the 14 men indicted in the latest corruption inquiry. In his career, he has always managed to stay above the fray, even as accusations of corruption swirled around the organization that he leads. | Mr. Blatter was not among the 14 men indicted in the latest corruption inquiry. In his career, he has always managed to stay above the fray, even as accusations of corruption swirled around the organization that he leads. |
| On Thursday, the fallout from the scandal continued to reverberate as soccer federations, sponsors and national governments responded to the investigation, and Mr. Blatter’s opponents and supporters jockeyed for position. | On Thursday, the fallout from the scandal continued to reverberate as soccer federations, sponsors and national governments responded to the investigation, and Mr. Blatter’s opponents and supporters jockeyed for position. |
| “President Blatter apologizes for not being able to come today because of the turbulences you have heard about,” said FIFA’s chief medical officer, Michel D’Hooghe of Belgium, Reuters reported, after Mr. Blatter declined to make a previously scheduled appearance at a medical conference on Thursday. | “President Blatter apologizes for not being able to come today because of the turbulences you have heard about,” said FIFA’s chief medical officer, Michel D’Hooghe of Belgium, Reuters reported, after Mr. Blatter declined to make a previously scheduled appearance at a medical conference on Thursday. |
| The Asian Football Confederation said on Thursday that it “reiterates its decision” to support Blatter’s candidacy and called for the election to proceed, and it was joined later in the day by the CAF, the governing body of African football, which said in a statement that it was opposed to any postponement. | The Asian Football Confederation said on Thursday that it “reiterates its decision” to support Blatter’s candidacy and called for the election to proceed, and it was joined later in the day by the CAF, the governing body of African football, which said in a statement that it was opposed to any postponement. |
| UEFA has characterized the arrests and investigation as a “disaster” for FIFA that has tarnished the image of soccer. | UEFA has characterized the arrests and investigation as a “disaster” for FIFA that has tarnished the image of soccer. |
| President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia entered the debate on Thursday, accusing the United States of intervening outside its jurisdiction by pursuing the case against senior FIFA officials, who he noted are not American citizens. The Russian president said that he supported Mr. Blatter’s approach to running global soccer and that the American investigation appeared to be a blatant attempt to stifle Mr. Blatter’s re-election. | President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia entered the debate on Thursday, accusing the United States of intervening outside its jurisdiction by pursuing the case against senior FIFA officials, who he noted are not American citizens. The Russian president said that he supported Mr. Blatter’s approach to running global soccer and that the American investigation appeared to be a blatant attempt to stifle Mr. Blatter’s re-election. |
| Alluding to the former National Security Agency contractor Edward J. Snowden, who has sought asylum in Russia, and to the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the Russian president said the arrests constituted “another blatant attempt by the United States to extend its jurisdiction to other states.” | Alluding to the former National Security Agency contractor Edward J. Snowden, who has sought asylum in Russia, and to the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the Russian president said the arrests constituted “another blatant attempt by the United States to extend its jurisdiction to other states.” |
| FIFA sponsors, including Adidas, Coca-Cola and Visa, are calling for soccer’s governing body to change the way it operates, and on Thursday, a World Cup sponsor, Hyundai Motor, also registered its disapproval. The South Korean company said it was “extremely concerned” by the corruption charges. | FIFA sponsors, including Adidas, Coca-Cola and Visa, are calling for soccer’s governing body to change the way it operates, and on Thursday, a World Cup sponsor, Hyundai Motor, also registered its disapproval. The South Korean company said it was “extremely concerned” by the corruption charges. |
| Mr. Blatter has been at FIFA for 40 years, the past 17 of them as president. Although he has been praised for extending soccer’s global reach, he has also been criticized for an authoritarian style and for fostering an opaque institutional culture that some critics say allowed corruption to thrive. | Mr. Blatter has been at FIFA for 40 years, the past 17 of them as president. Although he has been praised for extending soccer’s global reach, he has also been criticized for an authoritarian style and for fostering an opaque institutional culture that some critics say allowed corruption to thrive. |
| South Africa denied any wrongdoing on Thursday after it was reported that the American indictment suggested that a $10 million bribe had helped the country be named host for the 2010 World Cup. Federal prosecutors have accused Jack Warner, a committee member from Trinidad and Tobago and a former FIFA vice president, of offering his vote to the highest bidder, and then using much of the $10 million payout from South Africa for personal use. | South Africa denied any wrongdoing on Thursday after it was reported that the American indictment suggested that a $10 million bribe had helped the country be named host for the 2010 World Cup. Federal prosecutors have accused Jack Warner, a committee member from Trinidad and Tobago and a former FIFA vice president, of offering his vote to the highest bidder, and then using much of the $10 million payout from South Africa for personal use. |
| South Africa’s sports minister, Fikile Mbalula, was quoted by Reuters as saying that the government had yet to receive an indictment from American prosecutors that included a link to South Africans. The minister also said that the 2010 World Cup funds had been accounted for and audited and that “no such amount has been found,” according to Reuters. | South Africa’s sports minister, Fikile Mbalula, was quoted by Reuters as saying that the government had yet to receive an indictment from American prosecutors that included a link to South Africans. The minister also said that the 2010 World Cup funds had been accounted for and audited and that “no such amount has been found,” according to Reuters. |
| According to the indictment, when FIFA was considering which country should host the 2010 World Cup, Mr. Warner sent a relative to a Paris hotel room to collect a briefcase filled with cash in $10,000 stacks from a committee official for the South African bid. | According to the indictment, when FIFA was considering which country should host the 2010 World Cup, Mr. Warner sent a relative to a Paris hotel room to collect a briefcase filled with cash in $10,000 stacks from a committee official for the South African bid. |