The problem isn’t Sepp Blatter; it’s FIFA

Within the murky waters that surround the FIFA executive committee wherever it roams, there was a bright moment three years ago when Sepp Blatter, in the midst of campaigning for a fourth-term as president of FIFA, vowed that if elected, he would not seek a fifth term. The same Sepp Blatter who has consistently been trailed by allegations of financial misappropriation, accusations of corruption, blatant sexism, enabling homophobia and racism, and altogether an antiquated view of modern society, promised to hand over the most powerful position in football at the height of the sport’s global expansion, and more or less, fans of the game stomached the promise and looked ahead to a light at the end of the tunnel.

Fast-forward three years and we’re still wading through muddy water with no end in site. On Monday morning, Sepp Blatter confirmed his bid for a fifth term as President of FIFA with a bold assertion that perfectly embodies Blatter’s view of his own place within the history of the game. Rather than quietly announce his campaign, Blatter portrayed his bid as a reluctant one, brought on by downtrodden federation representatives who had practically begged him to carry on. “Please go on, be our president also in future,” Blatter recounted, presumably with a smirk and an open checkbook not far away.

Understandably, the response was swift, with everyone from journalists to pundits and fans alike decrying Blatter’s re-election campaign as another example of the nepotism within FIFA’s ranks. Fingers were pointed, vitriol thrown and a few curse words muttered, all directed towards Blatter himself. And let’s be honest: if anyone deserves to be vilified, it’s Sepp Blatter. But for all the caustic response to Blatter’s decision, most onlookers seemed to discount one major fact: there’s no corrupt FIFA-branded rule book (that we know of) that forces FIFA electors to vote for Sepp Blatter come election time; federation representatives are free to launch their own campaigns or vote for an alternative.

This is a significant point. Blatter’s deplorable character is well known, but he’s not a self-perpetuating force in and of himself; each of the six FIFA federations enable his behavior by regularly re-electing him to the sport’s most prominent position. The anger so regularly directed towards Blatter is certainly justifiable, but it misses the larger point.

The problem isn’t Sepp Blatter the individual, so much as FIFA’s structure as a whole. While Blatter is sure to benefit from his perch above world football, and certainly makes the most of his position to prolong his career, have no doubt that confederation representatives cast a vote for Blatter free from any type of reluctance. From FIFA-funded local programs in isolated nations to supporting African and Asian calls for more representation at the World Cup, Blatter works for his supporters in what always was and continues to be a mutually beneficial relationship.

And yet while calls for Blatter’s dismissal seem to follow each revolution of the news cycle, regular columns written in opposition to Blatter supporters are increasingly rare. Especially when the reality of the situation is that a vote in favor of Blatter is quiet acquiescence for ongoing corruption and narrow-mindedness in the sport.

At the 61st FIFA Congress in 2011, Sepp Blatter was awarded the presidency after earning 186 votes out of a total of 203. 186 representatives tacitly supported the Blatter regime rather than voice their opposition by abstaining.

While the relationship between the highest levels of FIFA and confederation representatives is akin to a feudal lord supporting his peasants, some claim quiet acquiescence is the only way to attempt to change the sport internally. That’s an honorable goal, but the reality is that so long as one attempts to play the game, the game will continue unhindered. A Sepp Blatter presidency ensures continued corruption, financial malfeasance and a rejection of social progress, even if there happens to be a reform-minded ExCo member who’s worked through the system to get a seat at the table. Silence begets silence.

I’m looking at you, Sunil Gulati.

This all paints a bleak image, but if there’s any hope for the future, it begins by affecting the process from a local, grassroots level by demanding change from our domestic federations. That anger and frustration you feel towards Sepp Blatter? Redirect it towards your federation and demand change. Pressure your local representatives with the same amount of coverage that Blatter earns. Use those in-depth investigations of the ExCo as a guide for tracking your federation. Abstain until your federation makes its opposition public; until it takes a stand on the international stage.

Sepp Blatter and the FIFA Executive Committee perpetuate corruption and graft in the sport, but it’s local, regional representatives who give them the power to do so, and FIFA’s framework that awards them. It’s time we redirect our focus. [Posted by Maxi]