CORRUPT, accused former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner believes the organisation he once served is strong enough to withstand the crisis that has engulfed it over the last few months.Following the arrest of a number of FIFA executives and former executives in the biggest operation in sporting history, football’s governing body has been struck with blow after blow.
FIFA president Joseph Sepp Blatter was forced into giving up the top job even after winning an election that suggested he still had the backing of football associations worldwide, then suspensions of his top brass began flying all around him.
First Jerome Valcke was suspended, pending an investigation, then two of the more favoured candidates to take over as president of FIFA, Chung Mong-Joon and Michel Platini, were also suspended, leaving many to believe the organisation was on its last legs.
Blatter himself was also slapped with a 90-day suspension.
In fact, the longest-serving vice-president of FIFA, now acting-president in the wake of Blatter’s suspension, Issa Hayatou, has vowed not to offer himself up for the top job.
Even with all this, as he tries to fight extradition to the United States on charges of racketeering and corruption, Warner believes FIFA is safe.
“FIFA is still strong enough to stand and has enough cash reserves to continue for a long time,” he said.
However, Warner believes there are forces attempting to cripple FIFA.
“I do know the Americans want to take it over, after all they take over the UN and so on. The only organisation they have not taken over is FIFA and because FIFA runs the World Cup they want to take it over.
“So I understand that, but don’t destroy it.” (Sportsmax.com)