The Washington Post has compared the cash crisis at Ibrox with the corruption shambles engulfing FIFA.
Despite Wednesday’s arrests of a number of leading FIFA officials Sepp Blatter was returned for a fifth term with a comfortable vote of133 against 73 over Jordan’s Prince Ali bin al-Hussein.
The vote threatens to split the world game with European nations believed to be exploring the possibility of setting up a breakaway organisation rather then be part of Blatter’s future plans for the game.
In a wide ranging article about the split between European football and other confederations The Washington Post explained: “There are precious few clean hands in football. Anyone who follows European or American soccer can readily recite a lengthy list of shyster administrators and rogue officials that have plagued the game at all levels — from the Calciopoli matchfixing scandal in Italy, to Glasgow Rangers’ bankruptcy (and the tax convictions of its new chairman), to Aaron Davidson, head of the North American Soccer League, who was indicted for bribery on Wednesday.”
Despite the pleas from many to stand down and the arrests of leading officials Blatter has no intention of reforming and sees Friday’s vote as an endorsement for his style of leadership.
He told Swiss TV station RTS: “No-one is going to tell me that it was a simple coincidence this American attack two days before the elections of FIFA. It doesn’t smell right. This has touched me and FIFA.
“Not only did they try to denigrate me but also they used the moment to say, ‘This is the time to go’. Then it was said, ‘We are going to boycott the congress’. But where are we? Where is the sportsmanship? There are signs that cannot be ignored. The Americans were the candidates for the World Cup of 2022 and they lost.
“The English were the candidates for 2018 and they lost, so it was really the English media and the American movement.
“If they have a financial crime that regards American citizens, then they must arrest these people there and not in Zurich when we have a congress in Zurich.
“The United States, it is the main sponsors of Hashemite kingdom [Jordan]. This corruption affair is between North America and South America. It was taken to Zurich and they say it is FIFA.”
Click here to read full article in The Washington Post
