By SBI SOCCER
The pressure on Sepp Blatter to leave his position as FIFA president earlier than scheduled continues to increase.
FIFA sponsors Coca-Cola and McDonald’s have called for Blatter to resign from the post he is expected to leave in February. Blatter is currently under criminal investigation from the Swiss attorney general’s office as FIFA continues to be mired in scandal, leaving the two major companies to ask for change.
“For the benefit of the game, The Coca-Cola Company is calling for FIFA president Joseph Blatter to step down immediately so that a credible and sustainable reform process can begin in earnest,” the soft drinks company said in its statement. “Every day that passes, the image and reputation of FIFA continues to tarnish. FIFA needs comprehensive and urgent reform, and that can only be accomplished through a truly independent approach.”
Added a McDonald’s in its own, separate statement: “We believe it would be in the best interest of the game for FIFA President Sepp Blatter to step down immediately so that the reform process can proceed with the credibility that is needed.”
The 79-year-old Blatter, who said earlier this week that he was planning to stay on as FIFA president, still has no intentions to resign earlier than expected. He has issued a statement through his lawyer that says Blatter will continue to operate as FIFA’s leader.
“While Coca-Cola is a valued sponsor of FIFA, Mr Blatter respectfully disagrees with its position and believes firmly that his leaving office now would not be in the best interest of FIFA nor would it advance reform and therefore, he [Blatter] will not resign,” read the statement.
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What do you think about Coca-Cola and McDonald’s requesting that Blatter step down? Do you see more sponsors joining in on this stance? How much more outside pressure will it take for Blatter to resign?
Share your thoughts below.
It’s a meaningless PR gesture until they actually withhold money.
Blatter won’t step down voluntarily. But he will most likely be suspended by an US Citizen. Judge Robert Torres, a Harvard and Notre Dame educated member of the Guam Supreme Court and Magistrate of the US District Court in Guam,has been assigned, as a member of the FIFA ethics committee, to review the evidence against Blatter and render decision on a possible suspension.Judge Torres is also has a “B” coaching license from the AFC, and was a coach of the Guam national youth team.
Considering that Jerome Valke was suspended under much less presented evidence, it seems that this is very possible within a week or two.
The only fly in the ointment is that Judge Torres’s decision must be reviewed and approved by Hans-Jochim Eckert, who most remember for submarineing various whistleblower reports on FIFA, especially the exhaustive report from its own ethics committee member Michael Garcia.
But the fact that the evidence is being presented by the Swiss AG to Judge Torres, a strong credible source, as it was in the case for Valke, evidence even Mr Eckert will be hard pressed to ignore.
The biggest concern now is that Platini is the man to follow Blatter. That is not the way to reform.
Once the Hamburgler’s on your ass, it’s all over.
think like a criminal for a moment.
“i can’t step down. if i do, how can i accept BRIBES?!!!”
fifa has a blatter infection. we need this slime bag out NOW!!!
‘murica.
It was all a misunderstanding. We meant winter all along. Some wise guy did a Find and Replace in our bid book. We hanged him.
Why does FIFA have to clean and transparent? It’s just a game and people gladly open their wallets splashing out massive piles of their hard-earned cash. If they are dumb enough to spend it, then FIFA has every right to steal as much of it as they can.
No one has a right to “steal” anything from anyone. I’ve been less interested in the international game this year than in my entire life because of FIFAs behavior. I’m not excited about the next two world cups either. To bad as USA is finally on the cusp of turning out some decent players. Hope Qatars world cup is given to Australia… and that Blatter, and all other FIFA officials that have accepted bribes from Qatar, donate lots of money to the people forced into slave labor in Qatar.
Not going to happen because life isn’t fair…. which still doesn’t give FIFA, or anyone, the right to steal, break laws, and take advantage of people. I’m just grateful our domestic league has improved so it’s entertaining enough that i don’t miss international football much.
Your question, while interesting, finesses the fact that one way FIFA makes the money is sponsors, and if the sponsors defect, you’re strangling the golden goose.
Personally I think the money obsession is where the problem starts. Same thing in college sports these days, it’s big business and making someone money. That gets corrupting.
I don’t like Coke, I don’t eat Big Mac. I’m staying until Qatar pays me off.
Exactly
Didn’t Blatter recently release a statement that none of FIFA’s sponsors had asked him to step down? Now that two do he completely refuses to do so; this guy never ceases to amaze.
As of now it’s actually 4, Budweiser and Visa have also released statements.
You continued to be amazed even after the continental rotation policy was abandoned with just 1 continent left to host a WC and Qatar’s hosting bid was actually deemed a qualified bid?
FIFA doesn’t need these sponsors as it has Qatar.
Kind of like how in F1 Bahrain and abu Dhabi remain on the schedule — because they will happily pay a massive race fee — while the great Spa is in perennial peril because it expects reasonable treatment.
+1,,,, the perils of tailoring a sport to rich people.
+1000
e4 e5 your move Sepp