FIFA + I.O.C partners against European Union sport policy

Red card for the FIFA family
A review of Andrew Jennings’ book, “FOUL! The Secret World of FIFA: Bribes, Vote Rigging and Ticket Scandals

It’s a story of money, power, family and football. The glittering cast: FIFA president Joseph “Sepp” Blatter in the starring role. Former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch and Jean-Marie Weber as supporting players. Confederation of North and Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) president Jack Warner as ‘enfant terrible’ and Horst “Q” Dassler as the unseen operative pulling strings behind the scenes.

Destroying this familial harmony is investigative reporter Andrew Jennings, revealing the opaque world of FIFA in his new book FOUL! The Secret World of FIFA: Bribes, Vote Rigging and Ticket Scandals.

Andrew Jennings is investigative sports reporter at the UK’s Daily Mail, and author of two controversial and successful books exposing malfeasance at the Olympics (The Lords of the Rings and The New Lords of the Rings). He specialises in uncovering what he sees as the main enemy of global sportsmanship: corruption. Since 2000 he has been aiming his investigative eye at FIFA and, more specifically, at its president Sepp Blatter in the “citadel” - FIFA headquarters - on Sunny Hill.

His investigation into the FIFA family tree begins with the ticking bomb of their bank records. The starting point – a 1998 payment of one million Swiss francs from marketing firm International Sports and Leisure (ISL) to a “senior official in football” was revealed just as that company’s bankruptcy hit the news in 2001. ISL is the company that held the FIFA World Cup marketing rights.
Jennings describes how money started to change FIFA as far back as 1974, following FIFA elections at the World Cup in Germany, when Joao Havelange assumed the organisation’s presidency. Taking over from Sir Stanley Rous, Havelange turned an honourary organisation into a professional one, with an annual business volume of US $660 million. Jennings’ main focus, however, lies in the various presidential elections, the networking and campaigning behind the scenes. He offers proof of vote rigging and explains how the organisation is run on the exchange of promises and favours. The story culminates in the 1998 elections, when Blatter took over from Havelange.
Family is one of Blatter’s most used expressions when referring to FIFA. It is a fitting description of the network of relations and interdependence in the organisation. Another member in this family plot is FIFA vice president and executive committee member Jack Warner, Blatter’s loyal friend. Warner has been involved in a series of dubious affairs, such as the under-17 World Championships in Trinidad and Tobago, and most recently selling tickets for the 2006 FIFA World Cup through his family business, Simpaul Travel. Yet, he has been able to keep his position as CONCACAF president, always finding a way out.
Jennings’ book provides lively, interesting and overdue insight into FIFA politics and how mismanagement, misbehaviour and the pursuit of personal gain seem to have had few consequences for its leaders. Its evidence and findings will certainly be fodder for further investigations. Unfortunately, Jennings sometimes appears locked in a private feud with Blatter. By concentrating so heavily on the FIFA president, the prose becomes tendentious and the full breadth of accountability issues in the organisation, such as the allegations against FIFA executive committee member Ricardo Teixeira, comes up short.
In fact, a lot of interesting material gets squeezed into the last two chapters, including the development and outcomes of investigations concerning embezzlement of funds at ISL and an inquiry at FIFA’s offices in 2005, a ‘spin-off’ probe based on information obtained during the ISL investigation.

Blatter, as FIFA’s main representative, still receives ‘boos’ at every public appearance. When tainted FIFA officials such as Teixeira and Warner can remain safely within the family fold despite official commitments to organisational transparency and the establishment of a code of ethics for FIFA officials, it is clear that much remains to be done. The best code of ethics is useless if there is no effective enforcement system to back it up. After ploughing through 360 pages, combing www.fifa.com and carefully scrutinising FIFA’s financial report, one key question remains unanswered: exactly how much does FIFA president Blatter make?