Fifa Sepp Blatter leads Michel Platini and Wolfgang Niersbach ago – SPIEGEL ONLINE

Simon Brodkin had undoubtedly the most spectacular appearance on Monday afternoon at the Home of FIFA. The British comedian had rained bills on Joseph Blatter before the press conference of the Football World Association. A scene that should never be forgotten.

Brodkin had come with a journalist accreditation in the hall and Blatter had pelted with counterfeit money, in order to secure the award of the 2026 World Cup to North Korea, as he tweeted later. Blatter called only after his security, he moved the press conference a few minutes. He would only let clean the room, said Blatter. And from that moment was no longer Brodkin the comedian, but the 79-year-old Swiss, who had announced his resignation as FIFA president on June 2 at the same location.

He was still not resigned, Blatter said shortly afterwards: “I am still president and I will make the reputation of the Fifa again.” His appearance was a one-man show, no other executive member presented itself. Blatter’s right-hand man, General Secretary Jerome Valcke, in this kind appointments otherwise always on the podium, was already in St. Petersburg. There, the groups for the World Cup qualifiers in 2018 will be drawn on Saturday.

Even Blatter flies to Russia, where he can feel safe. On a trip to the Women’s World Cup to Canada he had decided against, for fear of falling into the clutches of the US judiciary. “Just because the president has not traveled, the wheels in the Fifa but did not stand still,” said Blatter. He had only just “played the ball into the air so that in football anything can change.” Now FIFA is on the right track.

If you understand Blatter correct, then the years had passed since the skandalumtosten World Cup awarded to Russia and Qatar and the many documented cases of corruption, which completed the picture of criminal Fifa system, one big reform process – led by him, against the resistances of Europe.

And then fell the known vocabulary “my mission” (not yet finished), “Emotions” (like it shows on his forearms, but he had goosebumps this time), “hope” and “peace”. It was a typical Blatter. It was one of his few appearances absurd-sovereign. It was bizarre. It was a panopticon. It was a counterpoint more to the notices of the Swiss Federal Prosecutor’s Office, the investigation for suspected corruption, money laundering and ultimately economic crime, on the resolution of the European Parliament, on the hearing in the US Senate last week in Washington, as the Fifa from Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal as a mafia-like crime syndicate has been designated, and the opinions of the alliance of various NGOs and campaign groups a few hours earlier in Zurich.

An escapist, narcissistic performance

The World Trade Union Confederation ITUC, Transparency International and the network Avaaz initiative “New Fifa now”, calling for Blatter’s immediate resignation, the replacement of all important functions and in particular the establishment of an independent commission to transfer the Fifa into legality.

All of this has been caricatured by Blatter’s appearance. His escapist, narcissistic appearance before the world press proved ultimately that there is no serious opposition in the FIFA leadership. UEFA President Michel Platini, the Qatar-sympathizer, who now wants to become Fifa president, and his confidant Wolfgang Niersbach were once again silent. Niersbach and Platini, who had to talk his propaganda chief Pedro Pinto, the emergency meeting even sold some way a success.

But the verbal antics of Uefa troupe you can safely forget. Blatter has once more demonstrated, together with the Africans. Now a commission will convene once again, it would be the seventh in a few years, which were boycotted all those amendments which significantly by UEFA (including Niersbach), shall submit to the extraordinary congress to re-vote. These include term limits for the president and other dignitaries, age restrictions and the so-called integrity check, accept the present as it were the FBI and the Swiss judiciary.

Not was, as discussed in the meantime as early as December and not in January, but only on 26 February 2016, the new FIFA president will be elected. Blatter had, after all elicit the sentences that he would not compete and devote 2016 other subjects from 27 February. He wanted to work as a radio journalist and devote geopolitical issues. In March 2016, he is 80 years of age, he must also leave the International Olympic Committee (IOC), whose member he is automatically as Fifa boss.

Platini wants to confess to the end of August

The election date now falls on one of many Blatter anniversaries. Because the end of February 1976, he once started with a development aid conference in Ethiopia capital Addis Ababa his first major project for the Fifa. On those days just before the African Nations Cup in 1976 Blatter has often reminded. On the 40th anniversary he cedes, and you can imagine that Congress will celebrate him once more as savior. FIFA is and remains a parallel society.

Platini’s communications chief Pedro Pinto promised in Zurich an early decision of his employer, whether it is for the Fifa presidency available. Until the draw for the Champions League end of August he will confess – a year ago, he gave way to the fight against Blatter made.

Will Platini now a candidate and he has really come to terms with the influential Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah of Kuwait? These are questions that the debate some of the world’s press devotedly. But there are these days not the crucial questions: The Fifa is driven by the investigation conducted by the federal authorities in the US and in Switzerland. The current Fifa leadership has their destiny no longer in their hands, so Blatter in Zurich now wanted to give the impression of being able to influence the process of alleged reforms.

The future of Fifa ultimately decides the judiciary. And that is good news for football.