FIFA Hits Rock Bottom, Says Patrick Omorodion

FIFA, or Federation of International Football Associations, is a name synonymous with the beautiful game, and its origins date back 122 years to May 21, 1904, in Rue Saint-Honore, Paris, France. The organization's first president was Robert Guérin, a Frenchman who served from 1904 to 1906.

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Guérin was followed by a succession of presidents, including Daniel Burley Woolfall from England, who served from 1906 to 1918, and Jules Rimet, also from France, who held the position from 1921 to 1954. The list of presidents also includes Rodolphe Seeldrayers from Belgium, Arthur Drewry from England, and Sir Stanley Rous from England, among others.

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João Havelange from Brazil served as president from 1974 to 1998, and was succeeded by Sepp Blatter from Switzerland, who held the position from 1998 to 2015. Issa Hayatou from Cameroon also served as acting president for a year, from 2015 to 2016, after Blatter's resignation due to corruption charges.

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Hayatou stepped down when Gianni Infantino, a dual national of Switzerland and Italy, was elected as the new president in 2016, and Infantino remains in the position to this day. During Blatter's tenure, Africa received significant recognition, particularly in the face of opposition from European Confederation leader Lennart Johansson.

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Blatter, who was then Secretary General of FIFA, recognized Africa's importance as the largest Confederation in the FIFA family, with 54 member associations, and worked to increase the continent's representation at the World Cup. One of Blatter's key achievements was ensuring that Africa hosted the World Cup, which was realized through South Africa's hosting of the tournament in 2010.

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FIFA's commitment to expanding and protecting the sport is reflected in its former slogan, "For the Game. For the World", which highlighted the organization's focus on social responsibility. The organization later adopted a new slogan, "Football Unites the World", which embodies its mission to inspire, unite, and develop people globally through the beautiful game.

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As a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIFA operates under the IOC's charter, which governs sports worldwide and promotes harmonious human development and a peaceful society. The IOC's mission to unite nations transcends cultural, religious, and political boundaries, and emphasizes the importance of political neutrality in sports organizations.

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The Olympic Charter mandates that sports organizations, including FIFA, maintain political neutrality and ensure that the Olympic Games and World Cup remain sacred spaces for peaceful competition, free from discrimination and human rights violations. To guarantee this, FIFA requires host countries to sign a government guarantee, which was done by all past host countries, including Qatar, which hosted the World Cup in 2022.

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However, the current FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, has sparked controversy by allowing his friendship with US President Donald Trump to influence FIFA's stance on the denial of entry to a Somalian referee, Omar Artan, selected from Africa to officiate at the World Cup. Infantino's response to the situation has been criticized for being too soft and conciliatory.

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Infantino stated, "It's unfortunate what happened to Omar, but again, we don't control everything, we try, we discuss, we see, maybe it's good to just chill, relax, we try to solve everything, sometimes screaming and shouting has the opposite effect." This response has been seen as a departure from the strong stance taken by previous FIFA presidents, such as Havelange and Blatter.

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Sepp Blatter has already spoken out against the US authorities' decision to deny entry to the Somalian referee, stating, "No one is more official than the referee, and if a country refuses to allow a referee in, the World Cup should not be held in such a country." Blatter's comments reflect the gravity of the situation and the importance of upholding the principles of neutrality and fairness in international sports.

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A concerned Nigerian, Kachi Okezie, Esq, has also weighed in on the issue, stating, "A World Cup is supposed to be a neutral, global sanctuary, if geopolitical biases and border-agent whims dictate who takes the pitch, then it is no longer a World Cup, it is an exclusive invitational filtered through Western political anxieties." This sentiment echoes the concerns of many who feel that the World Cup has lost its flavor and neutrality.

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The current situation has resulted in a noticeable absence of traveling fans, who add color and excitement to the event, due to restrictions or complete bans imposed by the US, highlighting the need for FIFA to reassert its commitment to neutrality and fairness in international sports.