World football chief under attack again.
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As controversy continues to engulf world football’s governing body, the president of the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) has called on his opposite number at FIFA to step down at the end of his current term in 2015, reports the Irish Times.
Allegations of corruption and bribery have plagued FIFA for some years and the claims are becoming all the more frequent regarding the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. The KNVB President, Michael van Praag, has put the blame for FIFA’s crumbling reputation squarely at Blatter’s feet.
“The image of FIFA has been tarnished by everything that has happened over the last years,” Van Praag told Dutch newspaper Volkskrant, whilst attending the FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo.
“There are very few people who still take FIFA seriously and whatever way you want to cut and dice it, Blatter is responsible in the end.”
It is a cutting indictment of Blatter, who has become one of the most universally disliked people in the world of football since being elected as President of FIFA in 1998. Van Praag believes that it is Blatter’s longevity that has been unhelpful to his work within FIFA.
The Dutchman continued: “The election for the FIFA presidency is only next year but it will be good if Europe is well prepared and ready to make its choice.
“If you are in a post for 16 years there comes a time when you have to ask whether you are still contributing.”
Blatter, currently in Brazil ahead of the World Cup, has been flanked by heavy security in recent public outings as unrest in the country over the World Cup continues.
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