FIFA: The man who will succeed Blatter

FIFA: The man who will succeed Blatter
By Our Reporter  on October 30, 2015 Sports
By George Aluo
A new dawn for football! That is what the world would expect on February 26, 2016, when world soccer governing body, FIFA, elects a new president to lead the body.
 FIFA has since last year, been engulfed in crisis, which has since led to the decision of its president, Sepp Blatter, to “step aside” and organise an election, where a new leader will emerge.  Allegations of corruption have been at the centre of the FIFA crisis.
 Top officials of the body are alleged to be swimming in corruption. While some of the officials are already facing outright ban from all football activities worldwide, others, including Blatter, have been suspended while being investigated.
Beyond the February 26, 2016 election, officials of the soccer federation have bowed to pressure from stakeholders, who want the football body to undergo  thorough reforms. Ahead of the election, its ethics committee has drawn up proposals that include tenure limit for the president, age limit and integrity checks amongst others.
 The whole essence of the reforms, apart from the fight against corruption, is to ensure that the body is not run by a cabal of sit-tight rulers, who see running FIFA as a catholic marriage that can only be over when, “death do us part.”
Given this scenario, many believe that it is time for an “outsider” to step into the shoes of Blatter. Early this week, precisely on October 26, the first hurdle to be scaled by the aspirants was concluded with the close of nomination and expression of interest form.
 Seven candidates from across the globe emerged after meeting the first round of requirements, which basically was to get at least, five national soccer federations to back their candidacy.
 The seven candidates that are now to face further scrutiny (integrity test) before being cleared for the February 2016 poll are, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, Musa Bility, Jerome Champagne, Gianni Infantino, Michel Platini, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa and Tokyo Sexwale.
 A look at the short list shows that two Africans, South Africa’s Sexwale and Liberian oil magnate, Bility, made the cut. From the European block (UEFA), comes the trio of Jerome Champagne, Michel Platini (who is under suspension) and Gianni Infantino. Asia’s flag is being flown by the duo of Ali Hussein and Sheikh al-Khalifa.
 Where would the pendulum likely swing and why? This is the million naira question begging for an answer ahead of the election.
Africa
 Will it come to Africa for the first time just like the World Cup hosting right did in 2010 in South Africa? Given the pedigree of the two men that are running from the continent, it may not be a mission impossible. Sexwale, an ally of the late South African legend, Nelson Mandela, has an intimidating Curriculum Vitae (CV). His involvement in the fight against white minority rule landed him on Robben Island, where he was a political prisoner with Nelson Mandela and many others.
 He was a key member of the bidding team that brought the World Cup to Africa for the first time, going on to become one of the chief organisers for South Africa’s widely praised hosting of the tournament in 2010.
 His close involvement with the tournament bidding process was heavily scrutinised in June, when United States prosecutors accused the South African government of paying a $10 million (£7million) bribe to secure the right to host the tournament.
 The government, however,  insisted it was a legitimate payment to promote Caribbean football. In spite of the searchlight beamed on the South African bid by the Americans, Sexwale was not found guilty of any wrong doing. Although he is not an “outsider” when it comes to FIFA matters, he could turn out to be the man to settle for, if the plum job is to come Africa’s way.
 Liberia may not be a football power house, even at the sub regional level, but Musa Bility could become another George Opong Weah, the Liberian soccer legend who, during his illustrious soccer career, was crowned not just African, European but European and World Footballer of the Year.
 CAF and FIFA match instructor, Paul Bassey, however, reckons that, “a clean but unpopular candidate” may emerge the new FIFA President come February 26 next year. Bassey noted that the election would take place under a completely different circumstance.
 He said unlike in the past, integrity and not money, would be a major factor at the polls.
“Don’t forget these are not ordinary times for FIFA. The world is watching to see what happens. So, the circumstances are completely different now. At the end of the day, integrity would give it to one of the candidates and it could be a candidate that is not popular”, Bassey said.
 He said the plum job could, for the first time, come to Africa if the continent decides to speak with one voice, a situation which he was, however, quick to point out, has never happened.
“Africa has two candidates in the race and as we speak, I am not aware that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has endorsed any of them as its candidate. The meeting in Cairo was silent on that. If CAF speaks with one voice, then Africa can get it,” Bassey said.
 Bassey no doubt is right, given the number of votes Africa has. With 54 member countries, CAF has the highest number of votes amongst the six soccer confederations that make up FIFA.
 Another Nigerian football buff, who could pass for an expert in FIFA matters, Ejikeme Ikwunze, on his part, told Daily Sunsports that he sees the FIFA presidency remaining in Europe. Ikwunze, popularly called “Mr. Football”, dismissed the two men from Africa in the race as unknown quantities in football, even as he stressed that, “divided interests” may not allow Africa to speak with one voice.
 Said he: “Two things will basically work against the men from Africa. The first is that the two of them are unknown quantity in African football. The second is that Africa, you can be sure, cannot speak with one voice because of divided interests. On the whole, I see the presidency remaining in Europe because they are putting forward men, who have solid football background and the mental ability to do the job. They also have the reach and are acceptable globally. One other thing going for Europe, is that whether we like it or not, FIFA is a cabal and it wont be easy dislodging that cabal even with all the crisis and scandal rocking the body.”
The former Abia State director of sports, who has written several soccer books that were endorsed by FIFA, said he would, however, wait to see the manifesto of the candidate, a factor, which he noted, will also count.
“When Havalenge won, he used his enormous financial resources to campaign vigorously. Blatter wooed the different confederations with his Goal Project and financial assistance agenda. I want to see what those running now are putting on the table as their programme. That will also count”, Ikwunze stated.
Europe
 Unlike Africa, Europe (UEFA) will definitely go into the election technically and tactically united, as they say in the round leather game. The UEFA has already made it clear that its incumbent secretary, Gianni Infantito, is only an interim candidate to be substituted the moment Platini gets cleared. It will vote massively for Platini should he get the nod to run after being investigated. America (Concacaf), South America (Conmebol) and Oceania (OFC) will, from all indications, give their votes to Europe more so, when they do not have any candidate.
Asia
 Just like Africa, the Asia Football Confederation (AFC) has two candidates in the race. If money is to be used as criteria, the Asians definitely have an edge. Both Prince Ali al-Hussein and Sheikh Salman al-Khalifa are money bags, who a football buff early this week, described as, “billionaires in dollars.”
The two men are ready to put in whatever it would take to get the mandate, the same way Qatar floored the USA to win the 2022 World Cup hosting right. And as Blatter did point out in an interview he granted the Russian news agency on Wednesday, all the crises rocking FIFA can be traced to America and England not winning the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting right.
 Hear Blatter: “In 2010, we (FIFA’s 22-strong executive committee) had taken a double decision, we were agreed to go to Russia (in 2018), then in 2022, we would return to the United States.
“That way, we would have had the World Cups in the two biggest powers. All that changed after talks between Sarkozy and Qatar’s prince (Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani), who is now running the emirate.” A meeting was held between the two men and Platini, followed by lunch.
 Due to that Franco-Qatari summit, at FIFA’s secret ballot to designate the World Cup hosts in December 2010, “four European votes deserted the United States and the result was 14-8 (to Qatar). If those four votes had not changed it would have been 12-10 (for the USA). And if the United States had received the World Cup, all we would be talking about now, would be the marvelous 2018 World Cup in Russia and not about any problem at FIFA.”
Blatter dismissed calls to strip Russia of the 2018 World Cup as the bleatings of, “bad losers.”
 “England invented the magnificent game. They created fair-play. But (at the vote), there was only one vote for England, no one wanted England”, he said.
Role of sponsors
 One other factor that may decide who wins in Zurich, is sponsorship. The corporate bodies that are FIFA major partners have always had a say in what happens at FIFA headquarters and this is where Africa may play from a position of disadvantage.
 While football is now big business in the other parts of the world, in Africa, the game is still what could pass for, “mai mai business.” Africa’s biggest competition, at the club level, the CAF champions league, is a competition in which the winners pocket a paltry 1.5 million dollars as against that of Europe where winners of the UEFA champions league smile to the banks with a whooping 100 million euros (about 74 million pounds).
 The sponsors will not to leave the money spinning game in the hands of a man from a region, where the game is not big business. The popular adage of, “he who pays the piper, dictates the tune”, may come into play during the Zurich election.
Roll call of FIFA presidents to date
 Robert Guerin (France)                        1904-1906 (two years)
 Daniel Burley (England)                      1906-1918 (12 years)
 Jules Rimet (France)                            1921-1954 (33 years)
 Rodolphe Seeldrayers (Belgium)         1954-1955 (one year)
 Arthur Drewry (England)                     1955-1961 (six years)
 Stanley Reus (England)                         1961-1974 (13 years)
 Joao Havalenge (Brazil)                        1974-1998 (24 years)
 Sepp Blatter (Switzerland)                     1998-2015 (17 years)
 Issa Hayatou (Cameroon) (Acting)                       2015
 The Seven contenders of FIFA Presidency at a glance
Prince Ali bin Al Hussein (Jordan)
 After taking Sepp Blatter to the second round of voting at May’s presidential election, 39-year-old Prince Ali is standing for election once again. He was a FIFA vice-president between 2011 and 2015.
Musa Bility (Liberia)
 The 48-year-old president of the Liberian FA failed to win the backing of the Confederation of African Football, but still managed to secure the five nominations required to stand.
Jerome Champagne (France)
 The 57-year-old worked for FIFA in various positions from 1999-2010, including an advisory role to Sepp Blatter. He did not gain the minimum nominations required to stand in May, but is now giving it another shot.
Gianni Infantino (Switzerland)
 Infantino, a lawyer, has been the general secretary at UEFA since 2009. The 45-year-old has the unanimous backing of UEFA’s executive committee, after the uncertainty over the candidacy of their suspended president, Michel Platini.
Michel Platini (France)
 The UEFA president is currently banned from  football-related activities for 90 days and had his first appeal rejected. The 60-year-old was initially favourite before the ban, but it is uncertain as to whether he will now stand for election in February.
Sheik Salman (Bahrain)
 The 49-year-old Asian Football Confederation president is a member of the Bahrain royal family and has attracted opposition from human rights organisations due to the regime’s role in the suppression of the country’s pro-democracy demonstrations in 2011.
Tokyo Sexwale (South Africa)
 A former anti-apartheid campaigner, who was imprisoned on Robben Island alongside Nelson Mandela for 13 years, 62-year-old Sexwale is a multi-millionaire diamond mining tycoon, who sits on FIFA’s anti-racism and anti-discrimination committee.