An hour after winning his unopposed presidential election on Wednesday, Sepp Blatter alighted on his solution for introducing new transparency and corporate governance to Fifa: Henry Kissinger.
The Vietnam war-era United States national security adviser and secretary of state headed the list of “politicians, celebrities and former footballers” who will make up the “solution committee” that will be Fifa’s answer to the corruption problems that shredded its reputation in recent months.
Kissinger (88) is a long-term associate of Blatter, on whose invitation he has enjoyed hospitality at major football events such as the 2006 World Cup in his native Germany.
‘Commission of the wise’
This does not appear to preclude involvement with what will pass as Fifa’s anti-corruption squad that will recommend new processes and procedures. Any such proposals will first have to pass muster with the same Fifa congress that handed Blatter his overwhelming mandate.
Blatter also talked of co-opting on to the solution committee Johan Cruyff, the man who has been credited with transforming Barcelona into arguably the greatest football team ever assembled. “This will be a commission of the wise,” said Blatter. “Kissinger loves football: he’ll be part of it. And Cruyff, he’s the perfect personality to help us in this solution commission.”
Fifa’s sponsors may have brought about the corporate governance rerforms. Adidas, which lavishes more than $40-million a year on Fifa as its sportswear partner, was the first to speak out last week. Later Coca-Cola, Emirates and Visa also expressed their dismay.
In private, it appears, more robust messages were sent. “They told me they trust us but they said can we bring back the boat of Fifa?” said Blatter. “They wouldn’t say they would withdraw, they’d only been a little bit concerned.” – guardian.co.uk