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Karl
Senior Member
USA
914 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 05 2002 : 9:26:27 PM
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The delegates at the Extraordinary Congress on 9 July in Los Angeles were unanimous in passing the items on the agenda. And President Sepp Blatter's vision of what the future of FIFA will look like was greeted with a standing ovation.
Everyone traditionally makes good resolutions for a new year, but what about a new millennium? To do justice to that needs a vision at least. And with nearly six months to go before entering the new era, FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced his ideas about how football can tackle the challenges that lie ahead.
A family like the international football community must have a home - and so the President invited those present to join with him in building the "House of FIFA".
"This house is my vision, that will accompany us into the next millennium. Its foundation is trust, its walls are democracy and solidarity, its ceiling is quality and its roof universality," was how Blatter described his project. "Every one of us will play a part in building it; stone by stone we will erect it together."
To continue the analogy, there will not be any financial worries to bother the builders. No mortgages will be needed - since there is sufficient capital already available. Nobody will have to go short, since over a third of the budgeted outlay of 1.6 billion Swiss Francs will flow into development or go towards supporting the 203 associations and the six confederations.
Standing ovation
With over 1.8 billion Swiss Francs coming in, the budget for the next four years - unanimously accepted by the delegates present - looks likely to provide an additional nest egg of around 245 million francs.
The Extraordinary Congress in Los Angeles.
PHOTO: J. BRETT WHITESELL
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Blatter's decision to use the symbolism of a house was carefully thought out. In every country and culture it represents the same values, such as protection, security and a family that fills it with life. This time the family includes not only the associations and the confederations but also the players, the media, the sponsors and above all the many millions worldwide who are captivated by the game of football. The "House of FIFA", in President Blatter's vision, will be a lasting edifice. So what could be more appropriate than to give the delegates a signed brick as they set off home, together with the wish that they support FIFA in its mission to improve football even more and to continue its spreading around the world.
Los Angeles 1999 will go down in FIFA records as an extraordinary and unusual Congress, not so much on account of the changes to the statutes which took three-quarters of an hour to settle, nor - it is hoped - on account of the protest demonstration of the Asian associations, for whom the door to the new "house" remains wide open, but primarily for FIFA's venturing into new territory for the future. The standing ovation that President received at the end of the Congress indicated that the associations of the world are ready to help construct the FIFA house of the future. AH
Karl |
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Karl
Senior Member
USA
914 Posts |
Posted - Mar 05 2002 : 9:42:07 PM
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Sir Stanley Rous to Havelange to Blatter - particularly during Havelange's reign FIFA openned its doors to all National Associations, particularly Asia, Africa and Concacaf...
The was substantial protests and heated arguments against the increasing access granted these areas... There was/is even talk of rolling back the clock.
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Sir Stanley Rous was elected 6th President of FIFA. He was an excellent referee in his youth and was well acquainted with international football. During his term of office as President, England won the 1966 World Cup to his special joy. He was very popular throughout the world. Among the first steps taken by newly independent nations was their affiliation to FIFA. So, the number of members grew steadily. The TV transmission of the World Cup also considerably contributed towards the worldwide expansion. FIFA was rather conservative in those days and reserved in its decisions. Its means and possibilities were restricted. As a private institution, it received neither governmental subsidies nor funds from other sources. Funds strictly came from profits from the World Cup and this is how one had to live and work for four years. It hardly seemed possible to accomplish more without taking risks. Thus, with a great deal of self-sacrifice, one went about consolidating and maintaining the work. Sir Stanley Rous achieved all this. In recognition of his merits, he was made Honorary President of FIFA in Frankfurt on 11 June 1974.
JOĆO HAVELANGE
Brazil, 1974-1998
On that day, the Brazilian Dr. Joćo Havelange took over the reins of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association.
From the moment the South American Confederation, the Confederación Sudamericana de Fśtbol, presented his candidature for the FIFA Presidency in 1970, he had looked for solutions to the major problems of world football. When Dr. Joćo Havelange was elected at the 39th Congress in 1974, he was ready to consider football not only as a competition, but also to try and find new ways and means to worldwide technical development and to prepare new generations for this.
Dr. Joćo Havelange's installation in FIFA's headquarters heralded the dawn of a new era. Previously, with survival depending almost exclusively on limited resources from World Championships in four-yearly intervals, FIFA had been somewhat conservative and reserved when it came to taking decisions. Administrative energy had been concentrated on consolidating and maintaining the status quo. In no time, Havelange transformed an administration-oriented institution into a dynamic enterprise brimming with new ideas and the will to see them through. The actual address in Zurich has not altered but instead of the romantic Derwald Villa on the Zurichberg, where in 1974 a staff of twelve used to coordinate the fate of world football, there is now a modern office building housing almost 100 employees coming to grips with an ever increasing workload.
Back in 1974, FIFA was also flexing its muscles in readiness for the tenth World Championship in those days, very much a trial of strength between Europe with nine teams and South America with four. The ripples created by political upheavals, particularly in Africa where many former colonies had been granted independence, were beginning to be noticed on the international sports scene. At that time Africa, Asia, and North/Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF) were each still sending one selection to the world's greatest football fiesta. For the 1982 World Cup in Spain, Havelange increased the table of competitors to twenty-four teams. Since that decision, the unqualified success of teams that used to be derided as also-rans has reinforced Havelange's notion that his policies were right. For the 1998 World Cup in France, the number of participating teams was increased to 32 finalists making it the largest in the history of the event, and allowing even greater participation from all its confederations.
On the political level, he firmly followed the course of appeasement and service, following the principle of universality to which FIFA has committed itself. His personal integrity assured Havelange respect from all the national associations and his word carries weight. Under his leadership, the FIFA offices became the hub of sporting diplomacy. An example of this was when representatives from Iraq and Iran, North and South Korea, Japan and Saudi Arabia came face to face in Zurich in July 1993 to discuss the organizational and administrative details for the Asian final qualifiers of the 1994 World Cup in an atmosphere of friendship and peace. Prior to that Havelange had shown a flair for taking advantage of the conciliatory potential of football at exactly the right moment. After intense diplomatic activity, visiting every association at least once and never mincing his words, Havelange soon smoothed the way for the People's Republic of China to return to FIFA. Then, in 1991, both Koreas sent a joint team to the World Youth Championship in Portugal. And because of its particular situation, Israel began competing with European teams in all FIFA qualifying competitions.
JOSEPH S. BLATTER
Switzerland,
since 1998
Over the past twenty-five years football has not only taken root as the world's major game in an ephemeral world but has also blossomed in other branches of society, commerce and politics. Football, more than any other factor, has enveloped whole regions, people and nations. With approximately two hundred million active players it now constitutes a substantial chunk of the leisure industry, having opened up new markets for itself and for the rest of the business world.
The potential has yet to be exhausted, especially in Asia and North America. As of mid-2000, FIFA has grown to include 204 member associations, thus making it one of the biggest and certainly the most popular sports federation in the world.
On 8 June 1998 Joseph S. Blatter (Switzerland) was elected as the successor to Joćo Havelange (Brazil) as the eighth FIFA President. This victory at the 51st FIFA Ordinary Congress in Paris (France) elevated Joseph S. Blatter, who had already served FIFA in various positions for twenty-three years, onto the highest rang in international football. Joseph S. Blatter is one of the most versatile and experienced exponents of international sport diplomacy and is totally committed to serving football, FIFA and the world's youth.
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Blatter on development world-wide
