LONDON, CMC – British Conservative MP Damian Collins said Sepp Blatter’s conduct as president of FIFA should be independently investigated.
Collins made the statement following a stunning claim from former FIFA Vice President Jack Warner that he was awarded lucrative FIFA World Cup broadcast rights for as low as US $1 after assisting Blatter in elections to become president of the sport’s World governing body.
“Is he serious about sorting the mess out, or is he only interested in protecting his own?” askd Collins, who sits on the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee of the British Parliament.
“These are serious allegations that must surely go to the very top of FIFA and need to be fully and independently investigated.”
The statement by Warner, a former president of the Caribbean Football Union and CONCACAF, was the latest in a string of revelations about alleged wrongdoing by Blatter since he was forced to walk away from the game in disgrace.
It comes in the wake of the cash-for-votes scandal that rocked the CFU, leading to several suspensions, fines and reprimands, and also led to the downfall of the former Asian football chief Mohamed Bin Hammam, banned from all football activities pending appeal.
Warner alleged he was awarded the broadcast rights for the 1998 to 2014 World Cup at nominal rates after assisting Blatter in brutal elections for the top post in the game.
He also said that he refused to back Blatter for last year’s election despite being offered the 2018 and 2022 World Cup rights for the Caribbean, again for a nominal fee.
“If true, how could deals, like these, be done without the knowledge of the most senior people in the organization?” asked Collins of Warner’s claims.
”This is a question that has to be answered by Sepp Blatter and it also demonstrates why there has to be a committee of investigation and inquiry which can act independently of the President and FIFA’s Executive Committee.”
Collins said: “In the last year, 11 of the 24 members of FIFA’s ruling Executive Committee have faced allegations of corruption; no real progress towards reform has been made within FIFA and there has never been an independent investigation into all of the bribery allegations made against them.
“One man is ultimately responsible for this – Sepp Blatter.”