Whether implicitly involved or not, ‘Teflon Don’ Sepp Blatter is losing his stranglehold on Fifa

The National's Gary Meenaghan offers his thoughts on the furore surrounding the Fifa corruption scandal and compares president Sepp Blatter to a Mafia mob boss.

Sepp Blatter has often been portrayed as the head of a Fifa family, but his position is now under more threat than ever. Ennio Leanza / EPA

The spectacular dawn raid on a Swiss hotel that led to the arrest of several football officials was reminiscent of a Hollywood gangster film.

The image of wizened old men in suits being led through a plush hotel lobby by police, much of their figures hidden from view by a single white bed sheet, could have been lifted directly from Goodfellas or The Untouchables. All that was lacking was the Sicilian music.

Such a parallel is no coincidence: Sepp Blatter, the Fifa president, has long played the role of a Teflon don.

The 79-year-old Swiss has been the godfather of the global game since 1998, controversially navigating Fifa through a swamp of corruption allegations and a plague of financial scandals.

Yet while several of his “capos” have been charged with fraud, money laundering or bribery, Blatter’s consigliere and soldatos have always backed the boss.

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Andrew Jennings, in his book Omerta: Sepp Blatter's Fifa Organised Crime Family, describes the Fifa president as having become "the sports world's Great Untouchable". In the Fifa-funded movie United Passions, Blatter — played by Tim Roth — tells his organisation's top executives: "I am warning you, all of you: we will play by my rules now."

Those who have strayed from the septuagenarian’s statutes have paid the price, most notably Mohammed bin Hammam, the Qatari who once was head of the Asian Football Confederation.

A long-time ally of Blatter, he announced in March 2011 he would run for the presidency in May. Within two months he had withdrawn amid allegations of bribery and by July 2012 he was banned from all football-related activity.

The desire for change at the governing body has slowly been growing — as has the criticism of Blatter by Michel Platini, president of Uefa.

The Frenchman this week said Blatter was standing for a fifth term on the basis of a “lie” and “should put [Fifa’s] interests ahead of his own”.

Yet we still find ourselves at a remarkable — almost inconceivable — stage whereby, 36 hours before the latest presidential vote, Blatter will run for re-election and likely triumph, despite public contempt.

For a quick insight into his reputation outside Fifa boardrooms, look at the comments below any @SeppBlatter tweets. Note: parental discretion is advised.

Blatter is the chief decision maker for a sport famously described as the beautiful game, yet under his stewardship things have turned increasingly ugly.

The key controversy, namely the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, is not going to fade away. Allegations and animosity will simply intensify as the tournaments approach. Only cutting the head off the snake will stem the flow.

If Blatter genuinely has Fifa and football at heart, he will stand down before Friday’s election.

It would save him face, save the governing body further shame, save Fifa sponsors more embarrassment and tough decisions, and allow a fresh start under a forward-thinking new leader.

It says much about Blatter that such a suggestion is so inconceivable.

At an extraordinary press conference in Zurich to address the arrests, Fifa spokesman Walter De Gregorio said Blatter’s “stress factor is a little bit higher than yesterday”, but added the president is “quite relaxed because he is not involved”.

He is involved, though. He is the president of an organisation whose name is being dragged through mud worse than any witnessed on a wet night in the lower leagues.

Blatter is either aware of the inner workings of his own organisation or he is not and, if he is not — if he is really, genuinely ignorant of corruption being widespread inside Fifa — then he cannot possibly proclaim to be fit to continue.

Until Wednesday, Blatter could continue because he was in control, but with the increasing involvement of the Swiss police and the US Justice Department, his grip is weakening.

Whether he waits until it breaks or whether he walks away only time will tell, but his house of cards appears to be collapsing.

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