Fifa has long operated with a sense of impunity, airily dismissing the persistent allegations of bribes and kickbacks that have dogged its leading executives. But in the early hours of Wednesday, its sense of entitlement was finally punctured as US prosecutors unveiled charges of “rampant, systemic and deep-rooted corruption” at world football’s governing body.
After years in which governments looked on passively at Fifa’s untransparent dealmaking, the US Justice department has acted. At its urging, the Zurich police have arrested seven Fifa officials, including two vice-presidents, in a dawn raid. Even the hitherto docile Swiss authorities have opened criminal proceedings into the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 world cup tournaments — a process that has long begged for closer scrutiny.
True to form, Fifa’s long-standing president Sepp Blatter seems determined to sail on, submitting himself for re-election on Friday. But it cannot be business as usual at Fifa. This week’s events should be the catalyst for a revolution in the way global football is run.