Sepp Blatter was once a strong force in global football. He was born in Switzerland and became President of FIFA, the world football body, in 1998. FIFA is in charge of organizing the World Cup and other international football competitions. FIFA expanded during Blatter’s leadership, bringing football to many more countries throughout the world. He attempted to add more teams to the World Cup and support women’s football.
Initially, Blatter was commended for his efforts. He was seen as someone who appreciated the game and desired to help it grow. He visited many nations, shook hands with presidents, and made huge promises. However, as the years passed, many people began to question if Sepp Blatter was doing things for the love of the game or other reasons. Questions gradually arose regarding how FIFA was governed and how choices were made.
Scandals Under Sepp Blatter’s Watch
The major issue throughout Sepp Blatter’s tenure as FIFA president was corruption. Corruption occurs when people engage in dishonest behavior, such as accepting bribes, to influence choices that benefit them. Many FIFA officials were accused of accepting payments to give World Cup hosting rights to specific nations when Sepp Blatter was president. One of the most contentious choices was FIFA’s allocation of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
Qatar is a tiny Middle Eastern country with extreme heat and limited football history. Many individuals were taken aback by the decision, and many began to wonder if money influenced FIFA’s decision. Shortly after, rumors surfaced claiming that certain FIFA officials had taken bribes in exchange for their votes to award Qatar the World Cup. This wasn’t the only scandal. In 2015, authorities arrested numerous high-ranking FIFA officials on charges of corruption.
Investigations revealed that bribery was endemic within FIFA, and the organization’s reputation suffered significantly. Although Sepp Blatter was not jailed, it was evident that all of the wrongdoing took place under his watch. People began to regard FIFA as more concerned with money and personal gain than with protecting football.
The Effect on FIFA
The International Federation of Association Football suffered very badly to its reputation just after serious corruption cases. Sponsors, athletes, as well as fans, lost faith in the organization. Even large corporations that had long backed FIFA, such as Coca-Cola, Visa, Adidas, and others, stood up and called for reform. It had a major financial impact on FIFA.
In 2015, FIFA President Sepp Blatter was compelled to go down. Although his exit signaled the end of an incredible career, it also showed that FIFA had a long way to go before its standing could be regained. FIFA made adjustments to enhance accountability and openness. The damage Blatter wrought is still apparent, despite Gianni Infantino‘s attempts to steer FIFA in a different direction as his successor.
Final Thoughts
No doubt, the major scandals that happened under Blatter’s presidency were a dark time in FIFA’s history. Football is a popular sport in many countries, but Blatter’s actions have caused people to lose trust in the organization that runs it. While football is extremely popular, FIFA’s reputation has yet to recover from the scandals that occurred under Sepp Blatter’s presidency.
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