Michel Platini is “unlikely” to run for the FIFA presidency, and reforms to the tarnished world football governing body could have happened quicker if broadcasters had followed sponsors in calling sooner for change, FA Chair Greg Dyke said. On Wednesday, Dyke was grilled by MPs in London on the future of FIFA in a department of culture, media & sport committee hearing. Dyke faced a wide range of questions including the prospect of completely ridding corruption from world football; the culpability of sponsors and broadcasters in not acting sooner to call for reforms to FIFA; and the prospect of replacing FIFA with a new body. Asked whether U.S., U.K. and other World Cup broadcasters should have acted quicker in calling for reform, Dyke said, “If those organizations [the broadcasters] had said, ‘We are not going to put up with this anymore,’ they would have had influence.” The BBC, ABC and other broadcasters are thought to contribute more than 40% of FIFA’s revenues, compared to around 12% that sponsors contribute.
AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT: Dyke praised FIFA sponsors such as McDonald's and Coca-Cola for demanding reform, although he said they could have acted quicker. Dyke: “If it had not been for the FBI, if it hadn’t been for the American involvement, I doubt whether the sponsors would have intervened in the way they had now. I think they [the sponsors] have taken action. I think they could have moved a lot quicker.” In highlighting the work undertaken by U.S. authorities to lead the fight, Dyke labeled Loretta Lynch, the U.S. Attorney General who accused FIFA of rampant corruption, as a “piece of work.” MPs also grilled Dyke on his response to an interview given by Sepp Blatter to Russian news agency Tass, in which Blatter attacked Platini for being envious of him, and claimed his undoing was down to a conspiracy involving the UEFA president and others. Dyke said, “He [Blatter] does a lot of strange interviews at the moment,” adding that the piece read like Blatter wanted to express anger at Platini. Platini and Blatter, who have both been given 90-day bans after a criminal investigation was opened up against Blatter over allegations that he mis-sold a TV rights contract, both deny any wrongdoing. Despite the allegations, Platini maintains he will stand for the FIFA presidency, and claims he has done nothing wrong, despite the ban.
SUPPORT WAVERING: However, when asked whether Platini -- whom the FA backed for the presidency until withdrawing its support when Platini was suspended -- would stand, Dyke said his expectations were that it would “be unlikely if you want my honest opinion.” Additionally, MPs quizzed Dyke on whether world football could ever be completely free of corruption and whether there was any merit in a UEFA breakaway rival tournament or scrapping FIFA altogether. Dyke said, “If you could form something totally new and start again that would be a good idea. If the big nations that played in the World Cup were prepared to do something, then we could do something.” On ridding football completely of corruption, Dyke said he would it would be “difficult.”
John Reynolds is a writer in London.
