Fifa under Sepp Blatter has been friendly to Africa, exceedingly so
What you need to know:
- In Kenya Fifa recognition has been hoarded for maximum profit.
- In Uganda, there are two leagues squabbling and seeking Fifa recognition in order to gobble the cash from Blatter.
Sepp Blatter is back at the helm of Fifa and that does not come as a surprise to us. Africa, Asia and South America stood firmly on his side.
Africa had no option but to stick with this man and the impression created by this loyalty is that Africans have benefited much from his leadership.
That is true, but it is also due to the selfish generosity of the 79-year-old man to whom retirement only comes with death.
Blatter was elected after the first ballot bore no fruit and that was the only shocker since he usually takes it at the first. Now he has four more years to please Africa.
The man sends $300,000 to each football association in this impoverished continent. Under his guard, many countries have benefited from artificial turf laid in their stadiums.
It is this money that has emboldened our federations in the continent to vote for him and even if he had been arrested along with his fellow mobsters; they would still have voted for him in gaol! Seven of his top officials are facing charges ranging from money laundering to darker deeds that we can only link to mobsters.
NOT FOT FREE
What is astonishing is that the Fifa legion that was arrested in a five star hotel in Zürich has been charged for bribery and one of them was charged for taking $10million to allow South Africa to host the 2010 World Cup!
Indeed, the fact that Blatter brought the World Cup to Africa is one of the reasons why Africa voted for him. Now we know that it was not for free and the Sports minister of South Africa was at pains trying to extricate his country from this claim with a long press conference and receipts. It has really tarnished what we thought was something to be proud of as a continent.
The money disbursed to all football associations has seen the growth of football in some countries. It has also caused a lot of friction in many others and it has killed football in some. In Cape Verde, the money has been used wisely and the results are there to be seen.
The islanders started a youth programme which is budding into succulent fruit. We can remember how well they performed in the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations.
Their stadiums have also been put in place and we expect much better from that country. In Botswana, it is also true that Fifa has worked under Blatter.
But you cannot say the same of other countries like Uganda and Kenya. The infighting in the Nigerian FA is endemic and those who have tasted the Blatter fruit can go to any lengths to perpetuate their stay in those positions. They use the money to bribe all the delegates who are themselves a hungry and salivating lot to vote for them again and again.
In Uganda, there are two leagues squabbling and seeking Fifa recognition in order to gobble the cash from Blatter.
In Kenya Fifa recognition has been hoarded for maximum profit; we have no plans for a youth system Our football calendar runs its own course; our national team is frighteningly at the lowest form and we are unable even to call for proper friendly matches; we have no proper league structures and the Fifa recognised hoard has created a parallel one that is just as unpopular as themselves and they seek to kill the only one we have.
