Despite the chaos and controversy engulfing world football's governing body, Fifa president Sepp Blatter has secured a fifth term in charge.
The 79-year-old defeated his rival, the Jordanian Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein, to whoops and cheers from his supporters. Blatter polled 133 votes to Prince Ali’s 73, which would have been enough to take the contest to a potential second round but his 39-year-old challenger withdrew.
It could yet prove a pyrrhic victory. Blatter has weathered the storm in the short term but the result leaves him presiding over a split Fifa as he faces the biggest self-inflicted crisis in its 111-year history.
“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,” he said, again promising to make this four-year term his last. “The age is no problem. You have people that are 50 who look old.”
Prince Ali will claim a moral victory but could only land a glancing blow on the incumbent, who appeared giddy after winning his fifth term as president. “I like you, I like my job and I like to be with you. I’m not perfect, nobody’s perfect,” he said. “Trust and confidence, together we go.”
As investigations continue in the US into a web of bribery and corruption that has already led this week to seven arrests in dawn raids and charges against 14 senior executives, European football’s governing body Uefa will again loudly demand reform.
Its executives meet in Berlin next weekend before the Champions League final and were in militant mood after Blatter triumphed over his younger rival, who had promised to repair Fifa’s battered reputation and serve for only one four-year term.
Uefa president Michel Platini, whose 53 members mostly backed Ali, had said that it could withdraw co-operation.
FAI chief executive John Delaney believes that despite Blatter’s victory the pressure of the latest crisis will mean he does not see out his four-year term.
He said: “I still think this is the beginning of the end of Sepp Blatter. I don’t see him seeing his four years out – the momentum is too great.
“We have to see how best we can use the European muscle. We also need to go on a charm offensive with Africa and Asia.”
English FA chairman Greg Dyke backed up his Irish counterpart and said that England could boycott the World Cup if other European nations decide to do so. “This is not over by any means. To quote the [\US]Attorney General this is the beginning of the process not the end,” said Dyke after the vote. “The idea Blatter could reform Fifa is suspect. I’d be very surprised if Mr Blatter was still in this job in two years’ time.
“The events of this week are so traumatic for Fifa that I cannot see Fifa reforming itself under Blatter. He’s had years to reform it and he hasn’t done it.”
Luis Figo, who along with the Dutch FA president Michael van Praag withdrew from the presidential race in an attempt to coalesce support behind Prince Ali, was scathing in his criticism of Blatter after the result and called on him to quit.
“If Mr Blatter were minimally concerned about football, he would have given up on the re-election. If he has a minimal of decency, he will resign in the next few days.”
David Gill, the former Manchester United chief executive who on Friday became a Fifa vice-president, confirmed on Friday night he would carry through his threat to resign immediately because Blatter won.
Blatter had earlier vowed to fix Fifa “starting tomorrow”, telling delegates: “We don’t need revolutions we need evolutions. I’m being held accountable for the storm. Okay, I will shoulder that responsibility.”
Despite the spiralling crisis sparked by the US Department of Justice and Swiss prosecutors, Blatter succeeded with an appeal to the 209 member associations to give him another term. His support in Asia, Africa and pockets of Central America and Oceania helped him to victory despite opposition from Europe, the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. It allows him to carry on his 17-year reign as president despite having previously promised to stand down in 2015.
Blatter has been at Fifa for 40 years, since his now disgraced predecessor João Havelange personally plucked him from watchmaker Longines to lead the commercialisation of the World Cup that has seen revenues rise in direct correlation with endless claims of bribery and kickbacks.
In his closing speech to delegates, his third of the day in comparison to the 15 minutes his rival was afforded, the Swiss returned to familiar themes.
“What football needs right now is a strong leader, an experienced leader, a leader who knows all the ins and outs of the situation,” he said.
Just as he did four years ago, when he promised a “roadmap of reform”, he called on the 209 members to trust him, promised to “fix Fifa” starting tomorrow and made light of his age and the 17 years he has been at the top.
“What is this notion of time? Time is infinite and we slice it up. I find the time I’ve spent at Fifa is very short and it will remain short.”
To applause inside the bubble of the Fifa Congress, Blatter added: “I would quite simply just like to stay with you.”
(Guardian service)
