Johannesburg, June 26 (DPA) The president of football’s controlling body FIFA, Joseph Blatter, is probably as African as any Swiss national can ever hope to be and here in South Africa during the Confederations Cup he is enjoying every moment of it.
Blatter is omnipresent, quick-witted and wide awake as he rushes from appointment to appointment — more often than not, not actually talking about football.
Morality, solidarity and responsibility are words that Blatter uses a lot these days.
He is more like a politician in search of a Nobel peace prize, more a benefactor or Mother-Theresa type than a football official.
“It is time to give something back to Africa,” is the message he is bringing across, and South Africa is paying him back with much more sympathy than he can ever hope of getting in Europe.
“It was an emotional moment standing next to South African president Jacob Zuma and hearing the applause from the crowd,” Blatter described his feelings during the opening ceremony of the Confederations Cup.
Blatter was hurt by the jeers he experienced at the World Cup in Germany in 2006 and he can rest assured that he will not suffer a similar fate in South Africa, after all, without him, there would probably not be a Confederations Cup in South Africa and there would be no 2010 World Cup.
“The people have earned our confidence,” the 73-year-old says and even his strongest critics find it difficult to accuse football’s supremo of being dishonest in his motivation.
Blatter has been pursuing his dream of an African World Cup for years and during all presidential elections he has managed to garner enough support to comfortably stay in power – even if a World Cup in Asia, Europe or the US would bring in much more revenue for FIFA.
Blatter has placed a lot on a successful World Cup in South Africa. “Nobody has more to lose than Blatter himself,” the CEO of the South African local organizing committee (LOC), Danny Jordaan said.
A disappointing World Cup in South Africa would certainly tarnish the image of the FIFA boss and could possibly even jeopardise his re-election in 2011, when the Swiss wants to put himself up for another four years – at least.
Such is his popularity at the moment that there are no serious challengers.
A successful tournament next year would give Blatter cult-status in Africa and would strengthen his position throughout the world even more.
To ensure that the World Cup runs smoothly, he has given both praise and criticism when he thinks it to be appropriate and the talk last year of a Plan B, was probably a timely warning to the LOC to get everything in order.
Given the fact that the Confederations Cup is running smoothly, Blatter can afford to sit back and enjoy the moment, but at the same time still pointing out areas in which there is room for improvement.
“Bring poor people into the stadiums,” Blatter demanded in the light of half-full stadiums. And local organizers were quick to follow the call, giving away 70,000 tickets.
Even the King of the Bafokeng tribe followed Blatter’s call and bought 10,000 tickets which he gave to his subjects.
Blatter is used to dealing with royalty – after all, he is the undisputed King of Football.
rounak