Good Riddence

FIFA President Sepp Blatter and Other Top Officials Suspended

The leadership of world soccer’s governing body plunged into chaos on Thursday as three of the game’s most powerful figures, including Sepp Blatter, the longtime president of FIFA, were suspended amid a corruption investigation by the Swiss authorities.

In addition to Mr. Blatter, Michel Platini, who is a FIFA vice president and the head of European soccer’s governing body, and Jérôme Valcke, FIFA’s secretary general who was already on disciplinary leave, were “provisionally banned” from the sport for 90 days by FIFA’s independent ethics committee.

By Thursday evening, Mr. Blatter, who has led FIFA since 1998 and worked at the organization since 1975, had been driven away from the organization’s headquarters in Zurich — perhaps for the last time — having filed an official appeal against what he contended was brusque, and unfair, treatment. 

See the whole story here, courtesy of the NYT.

Kicking Back Comments: Well ... we knew the day was coming and I for one can only hope Sepp never returns to FIFA again. It is my hope at the end of the 90 days (January 8th 2016) he is in leg irons somewhere. All of them, in leg irons.

My thoughts are turning to what is next however. I'm not sure that everyone expected such sweeping actions (kudos to the US DOJ for starting the first domino) as we are left with a substantial vacuum in place.

These next steps need to be considered carefully as how the deck is stacked over the next year or so will significantly determine how the next 40 years of football are governed ... close to the the reminder of my lifetime.