Sports organisations don't come any more clubby, hermetically sealed or resistant to change than the Federation Internationale de Football Association, founded in 1904 and headed by Sepp Blatter since 1998. However, FIFA's air of complacency, particularly in regard to long-running allegations of corruption and malfeasance within its ranks, has been blown away by the arrests of seven senior officials by Swiss police in Zurich on Wednesday, and the indictment of seven others in the United States on charges including money laundering, fraud and bribery. They follow a US Justice Department investigation of the activities of current and former officials of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, FIFA's continental confederation based in Miami. US Attorney-General Lorretta Lynch said the indictment, which alleges that CONCACAF officials conspired to solicit and receive well over $150 million in bribes and kickbacks from 1991 to the present, indicated "corruption that is rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted".
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At virtually the same time, the Swiss Federal Bureau of Justice announced it was conducting a criminal investigation into the bidding processes that led to Russia and Qatar being chosen by FIFA's executive committee to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups respectively. Both countries were considered outsiders to stage the cup, and the decision to favour them over more fancied candidates (including Australia) remains a matter of considerable controversy – the more so for FIFA's refusal to look into claims the Qatari and Russian bids were characterised by bribes and illegal payments.
Incredibly, Mr Blatter released a statement after Wednesday's arrests claiming they showed his efforts to eradicate corruption were succeeding, and that FIFA would "continue to work with the relevant authorities and we will work vigorously within FIFA to root out any misconduct to regain your trust".
The officials indicted by US Justice Department are entitled to the presumption of innocence. However, their cases are unlikely to be helped by the guilty pleas of Charles Blazer, a former US representative on FIFA's executive committee and former general secretary of CONCACAF. As part of his plea bargain with the Justice Department, Blazer is believed to have worn a hidden wire during meetings with senior FIFA officials. It's also thought that American Michael Garcia, who investigated the bidding for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa on FIFA's behalf (and whose report has never been published in full), has worked closely with the Justice Department during its investigation.
In line with his belief that he has nothing to answer for, Mr Blatter has said he intends to press ahead with his bid for a fifth term as FIFA president. This is verging on the delusional. It is he who has presided over a succession of scandals and failed to ensure FIFA's culture and governance standards conform to acceptable standards. And it goes without saying that our own soccer body, Football Federation Australia, must withdraw the support it has given to Mr Blatter over the past 17 years, including voting to re-elect him. We should be championing a cleanout of FIFA, not indulging the man who has become a symbol of the sport's deep problems.
