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| Fifa 'culture of kickbacks and corruption' targeted by FA and culture secretary | Fifa 'culture of kickbacks and corruption' targeted by FA and culture secretary |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The Football Association and government have agreed not to rule anything out in the fight to root out alleged corruption in Fifa, according to the culture secretary, John Whittingdale. | The Football Association and government have agreed not to rule anything out in the fight to root out alleged corruption in Fifa, according to the culture secretary, John Whittingdale. |
| Whittingdale said he had spoken to FA chairman Greg Dyke and the pair had agreed to keep all options on the table in an effort to end the “culture of kickbacks and corruption that risk ruining international football for a generation”. | Whittingdale said he had spoken to FA chairman Greg Dyke and the pair had agreed to keep all options on the table in an effort to end the “culture of kickbacks and corruption that risk ruining international football for a generation”. |
| For the good of the game, it is time for Sepp Blatter to go | For the good of the game, it is time for Sepp Blatter to go |
| Amid calls for a boycott of the World Cup, he assured MPs that the government would do anything in its power to bring about change in world football’s governing body. | Amid calls for a boycott of the World Cup, he assured MPs that the government would do anything in its power to bring about change in world football’s governing body. |
| Answering an urgent question in the Commons on Monday afternoon, Whittingdale said: “Fifa needs to change and to change now and I can assure the house that the government will do all in its power to help bring change about. | Answering an urgent question in the Commons on Monday afternoon, Whittingdale said: “Fifa needs to change and to change now and I can assure the house that the government will do all in its power to help bring change about. |
| “I have just spoken to Football Association chairman Greg Dyke and assured him that we stand behind the English FA’s efforts to end the culture of kickbacks and corruption that risk ruining international football for a generation. I agreed with him that no options should be ruled out at this stage.” | “I have just spoken to Football Association chairman Greg Dyke and assured him that we stand behind the English FA’s efforts to end the culture of kickbacks and corruption that risk ruining international football for a generation. I agreed with him that no options should be ruled out at this stage.” |
| Whittingdale’s comments come after Fifa president Sepp Blatter was re-elected on Friday, despite the arrests of football officials on suspicion of decades of bribe-taking on Wednesday. | |
| The culture secretary said Britain would offer full cooperation with investigations by United States and Swiss authorities and that the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) would pursue any evidence of criminal wrongdoing in the UK. | |
| Momentum is building against Blatter and sponsors should “think long and hard” about whether they want to be associated with “discredited and disgraced” Fifa, Whittingdale said. | Momentum is building against Blatter and sponsors should “think long and hard” about whether they want to be associated with “discredited and disgraced” Fifa, Whittingdale said. |
| He reiterated his call for Blatter to stand down for the good of the game: “Fifa’s voting system is designed to support the incumbent and it returned a predictable result but there is no doubt that what remained of Sepp Blatter’s credibility has been utterly destroyed. | He reiterated his call for Blatter to stand down for the good of the game: “Fifa’s voting system is designed to support the incumbent and it returned a predictable result but there is no doubt that what remained of Sepp Blatter’s credibility has been utterly destroyed. |
| “The mere fact that more than 70 national associations felt able to back a rival candidate shows that momentum against him is building. We must now increase that pressure still further. It is up to everyone who cares about football to use whatever influence they have to make this possible. | “The mere fact that more than 70 national associations felt able to back a rival candidate shows that momentum against him is building. We must now increase that pressure still further. It is up to everyone who cares about football to use whatever influence they have to make this possible. |
| “I am sure that fans the world over will be increasingly vocal in their condemnation of the Blatter regime and Fifa’s sponsors need to think long and hard about whether they want to be associated with such a discredited and disgraced organisation. For the good of the game, we must work together to bring about change. For the good of the game, it is time for Sepp Blatter to go.” | “I am sure that fans the world over will be increasingly vocal in their condemnation of the Blatter regime and Fifa’s sponsors need to think long and hard about whether they want to be associated with such a discredited and disgraced organisation. For the good of the game, we must work together to bring about change. For the good of the game, it is time for Sepp Blatter to go.” |
| Shadow culture secretary Chris Bryant said Blatter survived due to his “Mafioso cronyism” but was a “tainted leader of a corrupt organisation”. He said: “By clinging on, he is merely dragging Fifa further and further into the mud.” | Shadow culture secretary Chris Bryant said Blatter survived due to his “Mafioso cronyism” but was a “tainted leader of a corrupt organisation”. He said: “By clinging on, he is merely dragging Fifa further and further into the mud.” |
| Bryant asked if the government agreed that the European governing body, Uefa, and the other major football associations should consider setting up alternative competitions to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. | Bryant asked if the government agreed that the European governing body, Uefa, and the other major football associations should consider setting up alternative competitions to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. |
| He said the prime minister should call a summit of British representatives of the sponsors, broadcasters and football associations to agree a “robust common position”. Bryant criticised the “mealy-mouthed” response from sponsors, adding: “Money can’t have the last say.” | He said the prime minister should call a summit of British representatives of the sponsors, broadcasters and football associations to agree a “robust common position”. Bryant criticised the “mealy-mouthed” response from sponsors, adding: “Money can’t have the last say.” |
| The Labour frontbencher also called for the Foreign Office to ensure there was full compliance from the three British overseas territories named in the US indictment as playing a part in “masking kickbacks” – the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos. | The Labour frontbencher also called for the Foreign Office to ensure there was full compliance from the three British overseas territories named in the US indictment as playing a part in “masking kickbacks” – the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos. |
| Whittingdale said Dyke would discuss the idea of an alternative World Cup at this week’s Uefa meeting: “I have spoken to Greg Dyke about this. The one thing which is absolutely clear is that if there were any serious attempt to organise an alternative to the existing World Cup, that could only be done if there was a strong agreement across the European nations and preferably with other football associations from around the world. | Whittingdale said Dyke would discuss the idea of an alternative World Cup at this week’s Uefa meeting: “I have spoken to Greg Dyke about this. The one thing which is absolutely clear is that if there were any serious attempt to organise an alternative to the existing World Cup, that could only be done if there was a strong agreement across the European nations and preferably with other football associations from around the world. |
| “So the first thing that needs to be done is for that to be discussed within Uefa. As you will know, Uefa is meeting later this week and I know Greg Dyke will be discussing such matters with his colleagues. But I do think that this is a matter in the first instance for football to decide.” | “So the first thing that needs to be done is for that to be discussed within Uefa. As you will know, Uefa is meeting later this week and I know Greg Dyke will be discussing such matters with his colleagues. But I do think that this is a matter in the first instance for football to decide.” |
| Whittingdale said his answer to Bryant’s request for a summit led by the prime minister would be the same. | Whittingdale said his answer to Bryant’s request for a summit led by the prime minister would be the same. |
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