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In a revealing and rather blunt interview, the man tasked with spearheading FIFA reform efforts in the wake of a crackdown on corruption within the soccer world’s organizing body has gone on record with his opinion that outgoing FIFA President Sepp Blatter has been treated unfairly.
The interview with Swiss publication Le Matin, published on Sunday, saw Francois Carrard share his thoughts on the state of soccer in the United States, the issues facing Blatter since the arrests in May, and acknowledge the crisis within FIFA.
Carrard spoke on the agenda the FIFA Executive Committee presented to him in their bid to move forward in stamping out corruption at the top levels of the sport:
When I was offered the position, the reform commission members had been appointed by the FIFA executive committee on proposals from six continental confederations. I had not had any say, so I asked to nominate a fully independent advisory board of five members. I will choose them – I can approach the Pope or Lady Gaga, if it amuses me! I want personalities of experience, wisdom, international stature, who have had to cope with crises, but who do not necessarily come from sport.
Explaining the decision to have the five-member advisory board separate from the Reform Commission, Carrard went on to say:
Last Thursday, I met representatives of sponsors and we agreed that two of the five persons (on the board) would be chosen jointly. It will allow me, if I am not happy with the work of the Commission reforms, to have a counterweight, to create a balance.
A lawyer by profession in Switzerland, Carrard has had prior experience in helping an international sports organization clean up its act, as he was the Director General of the International Olympic Committee in 2000 and oversaw the reform process following the scandal surrounding bidding for the 2002 Winter Olympics.
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Speaking about the embattled Blatter, Carrard came across as sympathetic towards his fellow countryman:
There is something unfair in the way he has been treated. He certainly made mistakes, but he also brought positive elements. Unfortunately, it’s always like that when somebody stays too long, the negative takes over. This man is being treated unfairly. And if we talk about corruption … I have on my table all the US proceedings. In the indictment, there is not a word against him. Nothing.
Rather astonishingly for anyone who has followed the management of world soccer since Blatter took over the reins in 1998, Carrard has gone on record characterizing the whispers of corruption leading all the way to Blatter’s desk that have swirled around for essentially as long as his tenure in the position as merely “a negative” to be outweighed by the positive.
Soccer’s influence in the sports world has never been in doubt, and admittedly, that influence has grown in leaps and bounds while Blatter has been the FIFA President. Conversely, with the tide of marketing, media rights, and other factors on the business side of sports, it could also be argued that soccer’s growth would have occurred anyway with a donkey sitting in the President’s chair.
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There are, of course, those who will also argue that there has not entirely been a difference……
While corruption at the top echelon of any global organization would not entirely be a surprise nor anything new, it is also worth pointing out (and perhaps worth Carrard’s time to remember or at least acknowledge) that Blatter’s reign has seen more and more allegations of bribery, kickbacks, and other backroom deals than any other period in FIFA’s history.
Coincidental, or a reflection of leadership? Only time will tell. In the meantime, we cannot forget or overlook that current and former FIFA Executive Committee members and Vice-Presidents were among those indicted and arrested back in May.
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Of course, Carrard sounded like he was leaning towards coincidence, as he described those involved with the current scandal as merely a few “rogues” who lined their pockets from continental tournaments.
Not content with connecting the Pope and Lady Gaga and practically oozing sympathy for Blatter, Carrard saved one final shot across the bow with his comments about the United States, sounding dismissive of that country’s involvement in world soccer in general and saying that in the US, soccer is “just an ethnic sport for girls in schools”.
Clearly ignorant of the growth of the sport in the US, the less said about that quote is probably better. However, that comment and Carrard’s similar dismissal of the US Department of Justice investigation into FIFA as everyday occurrences in the US seem to belie an attitude that runs counter to the popular perception of Swiss neutrality.
Based on this initial interview, Carrard has plenty of ground to make up before he begins convincing observers (especially within the US) that meaningful change in the way FIFA operates will in fact happen, or if this Reform Commission will merely play lip service to its title and we are left with a proverbial case of “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”
