“We will discuss within UEFA how to act at the upcoming congress in the wake of these incidents,’’ said German football supremo Wolfgang Niersbach said in a statement.
Niersbach’s was one of the early reactions to the corruption scandals rocking the world football body, FIFA.
The United States accuse 14 people, including nine football officials including two FIFA vice-presidents – Jeffrey Webb and Eugenio Figueredo – of corruption “that is rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted.’’
Seven of the men were arrested today by Swiss authorities, at the five star hotel in Zurich ahead of Friday’s congress in which FIFA president Joseph Blatter seeks reelection.
In addition, Swiss authorities opened a separate probe on possible corruption around the World Cup host election for 2018 and 2022, seizing documents and other information at FIFA headquarters.
While UEFA may still be pondering on what to do, Transparency International called on Sepp Blatter to resign as president of FIFA.
“These scandals have taken place under Sepp Blatter’s watch of FIFA, which spans almost two decades,’’ the group’s managing director Cobus de Swardt said in a statement hours after news broke of the latest scandals to hit FIFA.
Transparency International also demanded that Friday’s election for the FIFA presidency should be suspended.
Blatter was expected to be confirmed for a fifth term at FIFA’s congress in Zurich with the support of non-European football associations.
“Blatter must stand down and new elections called to mark a new era of FIFA leadership,’’ de Swardt said.
Transparency International has conducted an online poll through the social network and polling app FootballAddicts, which showed that four out of five respondents did not want Blatter to stand for re-election.
Of the 35,000 respondents in 30 countries, 69 per cent said they did not have trust in FIFA.
De Swardt called on all FIFA executive committee members to disclose all conflicts of interest.
“Their hands need to be clean and seen to be clean,’’ he said.
Niersbach also believed that FIFA has been damaged by the arrests of top officials. He also noted as damaging the probe into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup host selection.
“It would be shocking if the grave allegations against FIFA members turn out to be true.
“What’s happening in Zurich days ahead of the FIFA congress is shocking and harmful for the whole of football,’’ Niersbach said in a statement.
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In any other corporation, the board would already have fired Blatter for the culture of rampant corruption. Either he knew and didn't act or knew nothing--either way is a failure. He ought to resign in disgrace. If he refuses, corporate sponsors should call and tell him he's done.