Despite the indictments of several high-profile FIFA members at the 65th Congress in Zurich, Switzerland, Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Normalization Committee (NC) Chief Clinton Urling says that elections should go-ahead today and that the entity will be supporting Prince Ali bin Hussein of Jordan.
FIFA was thrown in chaos on Wednesday morning when several top officials were arrested by the Swiss Police on United States of America corruption charges. It cast some doubt on whether elections scheduled for today would go ahead where current head Sepp Blatter is expected to be re-elected.
Individuals arrested were CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb, Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Jose Maria Marin, Rafael Esquivel, Eugenio Figueredo and Costas Takkas. Former CONCACAF President Jack Warner was also indicted and faces possible extradition to the United States of America from his homeland of Trinidad and Tobago.
According to reports, the seven alongside five sports and media executives are being charged with corruption involving over US$150 million dollars in bribes during a period of 24 years.
In an interview with Stabroek Sport from Zurich, Urling said “The elections should and would go ahead. The arrests of the individuals do not affect the constitutional requirements of FIFA to hold elections under its statutes”.
Asked if the controversy will affect Blatter’s chances at being re-elected for a fifth term, he said “It is tough to say if Blatter would be defeated. He still has strong support in Africa, Asia and in CONCACAF. However, the arrests of Webb and others could sway many to now support Prince Ali”.
He further said “If Blatter wins it leaves a cloud of suspicion hanging over our member associations and could affect both FIFA and individual member association’s ability to attract sponsors. I can now confirm that the GFF will be supporting Prince Ali’s candidacy and hope for a new day at FIFA”.
According to Urling “It was a startling revelation that the US authorities indicted the FIFA officials, particularly Jeffrey Webb, and it came as a complete shock and surprise to those present in Zurich for the FIFA Congress”.
The FIFA appointed chairman further said “No one from CFU or CONCACAF saw it coming. In fact, we had our CONCACAF meeting on Tuesday (May 26) afternoon, which was chaired by Webb and attended by all Member Associations and the Executive Committee”.
Urling further said “It shows that we must ensure strict governance and transparency in football administration at home in Guyana, regionally and at FIFA. Allegations of corruption have always dogged the sport and it is important that all FIFA Members ensure sound financial oversight and transparency systems to discourage corrupt practices.
“The (US) Department of Justice indictment will serve as a stern lesson as to the consequences of what such actions can be”, he added.
Questioned on how this scandal will impact football in the CONCACAF region and elsewhere, Urling said “CONCACAF members have been only recently reprimanded for underhand and dirty dealing business under the Jack Warner era. It was generally felt that Webb was doing a great job cleaning up the mess left by his predecessor”.
“So this is a great blow to the region and confederation, which now has had to absorb the brunt of the allegations concerning FIFA corruption. The Game of football will go on. It is the administration of the game that has to be improved”.
“I expect to see structural reform of the rules of how FIFA and its confederations operate as we move forward from this sordid and disreputable period”, Urling added.
Quizzed if this scandal will affect the developmental direction of the Normalization Committee and its voting direction, he said “The NC has adopted a zero tolerance approach towards any unethical and contemptible act at the GFF”.
“We will continue to work towards improving our systems of transparency and accountability and to ensuring that all our stakeholders adhere to those rules”, Urling said.
