ZURICH: Clinging to power after rebuffing resignation demands, Sepp Blatter received some respite on Saturday when two sponsors declined to join four other FIFA corporate backers in demanding the president of world football’s governing body goes before the emergency election in February.

In a seemingly coordinated move, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Visa initiated their strongest interventions as sponsors on Friday in requesting Blatter’s immediate exit from FIFA.

The 79-year-old Blatter remains defiant in the face of a criminal investigation into alleged financial wrongdoing, insisting that his departure would not be in the best interests of FIFA as it responds to the corruption crisis by fast-tracking reforms.

However, a decision over Blatter’s future might be taken out of his own hands if FIFA’s ethics committee suspends him.

Blatter’s initial recruitment by FIFA in the mid-1970s was assisted by then Adidas boss Horst Dassler, initially to run development programs funded by Coca-Cola.

FIFA chief’s survival in doubt after sponsors call for resignation

While the soft drinks firm was the first sponsor on Friday to demand Blatter quickly vacates FIFA’s Zurich headquarters, Adidas is remaining more loyal — for now — with a statement that did not reference the embattled leader of world football.

“FIFA must implement fundamental changes for the sake of football,” Adidas said. “Therefore, the initiated reform process must continue quickly and transparently. “Adidas, which has provided the match ball for every World Cup since 1970, has a deal with FIFA through 2030.

Kia, which has sponsored FIFA with corporate affiliate Hyundai since 1999, would also not discuss Blatter’s future.

“We at Kia do not have any comment at the present time regarding Sepp Blatter or our current FIFA sponsorship status,” the South Korean firm said.

Kia didn’t respond when asked if that meant its FIFA deal, which runs through 2022, is no longer certain.

Russian state-controlled gas company Gazprom, which has signed up as a FIFA sponsor for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

Kia and Gazprom did not attend an August meeting at FIFA with sponsors which was initiated following the arrest of seven officials two days before the FIFA Congress in May.

But four big American brands have waited until now to reveal that they have lost patience with FIFA’s leader of 17 years. They did not threaten to withdraw their sponsorship after Blatter quickly snubbed their resignation pleas.

Soft drinks firm Coca-Cola and fast food giant McDonald’s both said on Friday that the FIFA reform process lacked credibility with Blatter still in power.

Visa, which has a FIFA deal through the 2022 World Cup, said “no meaningful reform can be made under FIFA’s existing leadership”.

Brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev, whose Budweiser branding has appeared on advertising signage in World Cup stadiums since 1986, denounced Blatter’s continued employment at FIFA as an “obstacle in the reform process”.

But Blatter remained defiant, saying his departure would not be in FIFA’s best interests and that he had no plans to resign before February, when a special election has been called to choose his replacement.

Exposure of the rot within FIFA had previously sparked widespread calls for immediate change, but the rare display of unity from four major companies marked the first time key financial backers had explicitly demanded Blatter’s resignation.

“The sponsors have the financial power to force change at FIFA,” said Cobus de Swardt, managing director of the corruption watchdog Transparency International.

Scandals surrounding global soccer exploded in May, when 14 football officials and sports marketing executives were indicted on US charges of racketeering, money laundering and wire fraud in relation to bribery schemes that dated back decades.

Last Friday, the Swiss Office of the Attorney General said it opened a criminal investigation into Blatter on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and misappropriation of funds.

It was the first time that authorities investigating corruption in the world’s most popular sport had pointed the finger directly at Blatter.

He has denied wrongdoing and his U.S. attorney said he was cooperating with the Swiss probe.

FIFA’s awarding of the 2018 and 2022 competitions to Russia and Qatar is one of the strands under scrutiny from US and Swiss authorities investigating corruption in the organisation, a worry for tournament sponsors including McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Visa.

“One of the things consumers are looking for in brands today is for them to be responsible,” said Trevor Wade from the brand consultancy firm Landor.

She said the moves by the sponsors was a way to take a public stand about something they think matters to customers.

It is an unprecedented decision by companies that have largely stood back as developments in the case unfolded in recent months, said Jaimie Fuller a co-founder of campaign group #NewFifaNow.

“The drastic nature of this call stresses the extreme problems faced by FIFA,” Fuller said, “and should show everybody how the sports governing body is teetering on the abyss.”

Published in Dawn October 4th, 2015

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