With the controversy surrounding the re-election of Sepp Blatter as president of FIFA, for a fifth term as the football governing body cast their votes later this week, very few would blame anyone who does not know that the body itself clocks 111 years old.
Blatter, 79, is seeking to extend his 17-year reign as FIFA president when the votes are cast in Zurich on May 29, with the Swiss all but confirmed as the new president, in spite ofteh controversies that have dogged his bid.
It would be recalled that Louis Figo, former world footballer of the world and Real Madrid legend, who was contesting to take over from the FIFA incumbent president had announced his withdrawal from the race hours after Michael van Praag, Dutch football federation president, also withdrew from the May 29 election, leavingPrince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan as the only contender against against Blatter.
Both Figo and Van Praag stated that the body had lost credibility due to the corruption scandals and accusations of nepotism leveled at Blatter, who is aiming to continue as president of FIFA the 209 national federations vote later this week.
Amid the re-election brouhaha, FIFA will celebrate its 111 anniversary. The Federation International De Football Association (FIFA) is 111 years old. The world’s football governing body was founded on Saturday May 21, 1904, in France.
It started from a humble beginning with only seven members namely: France, Denmark, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and Holland. In attendance in the historic meeting were Robert Guerin and Andre Espin (France), Louis Muhlinghaus and Max Kahn (Belgium), Ludvig Sylow (Denmark), Carl Anton Wilhelm Hirschman (Holland), Victor E. Schneider (Switzerland). But today, FIFA has 209- member affiliates with many nations still clamouring to be admitted into the ever-growing family.
In 1905 there were 10 members. This rose to 13 in 1912, 20 in 1921, 41 in 1930, 51 in 1938, 141 in 1974, 150 in 1988, 172 in 1992 and in 2005 East Timor in the Oceania became the 206th member, the Comoros Islands in Africa became the 207th affiliate to FIFA New Caledonia in the Oceania Confederation became the 208th member affiliate while on 25 May 2012 South Sudan became the 209th member of FIFA.
In an application signed on February 14, 1959 by Reginald Allen and addressed to Kurt Gassman, the then secretary general of FIFA, Nigeria became the 88th member of FIFA. Egypt, which got affiliated in 1923, is the oldest African affiliate to FIFA.
Argentina is the oldest affiliate in CONMEBOL having joined FIFA in 1912. Canada is the oldest in CONCACAF having joined FIFA in 1913 whereas New Zealand whose FA was formed in 1891 and affiliated to FIFA in 1948 is the oldest member affiliate to FIFA in the Oceania. Thailand Football Association, which was formed in 1916 and affiliated to FIFA in 1925, is the oldest FIFA affiliate in the Asian Confederation.
There are six confederations of FIFA: Africa (CAF), Europe (UEFA), Asia (AFC), South America (CONMEBOL), Americas (CONCACAF) and Oceania (OFC), Africa has the highest number of member affiliates with 54 members.
Since the formation of FIFA in 1904, only eight persons have had the honour of presiding over the Body. The first was Robert Guerin, a Frenchman who served from 1904 to 1906. Jules Rimet, also a Frenchman and the third president, is on record as the longest serving FIFA president ever having presided over the Body from 1921-1954 while Rudolph William Seedrayers, the Belgian who served from 1954 to 1955. Arthur had the shortest reign as he died in office.
Daniel Burley Woodfall (England) was at the helm of affairs from 1906-1918, Jules Rimet (France) 1921-1954. Arthur Drewry of England, 1955-1961, Stanley Rous (England) 1961-1974. Jean Maria Faustine Godefroid Joao Havelange served for 24 years and established the record as the second longest serving elected FIFA president since he defeated Rous in Frankfurt Germany on 11 June, 1974 and was on the saddle from 1974 to 1998.
Blatter, the Swiss and incumbent president became president in 1998 after serving as FIFA general secretary from 1981-1998.
Since the formation of FIFA, only nine persons have held the position of general secretary. Louis Muhlinghaus of Belgium was general secretary from 1904-1906, while Jerome Vacke is the incumbent general secretary.
Carl Anton Whilhelm of Holland, who served from 1906-1931, is on record as the longest serving general secretary in the history of FIFA having served for 25 years.
In addition to its supervisory role over World Soccer, FIFA organises 12 different competitions.
The FIFA World Cup, Men and Women Olympic Football tournament, FIFA U-20 World Cup, FIFA U-17 World Cup, FIFA Confederations Cup, FIFA Futsal World Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup and Interactive World Cup.
Apart from seeing to the successful organisation of these competitions, FIFA should be given credit for the innovations, it has brought to the beautiful game of football. Some of these changes include the modification of the back-pass and off-side rules, actual time of play in a match, use of electronic gadgets in timing matches, goal line technology etc.
In 2001, FIFA introduced the coordinated international match calendar. Footballs used these days are FIFA inspected and approved.
It is now mandatory for international referees to speak English and there are more international female referees, introduction of players’ agents, while there is the obligation for associations to display their players’ names on the back of their outfits.
FIFA is also leaving no stone unturned in fighting racism, child abuse, doping, corruption, match fixing, ensuring adequate security in stadia with the appointment of FIFA’s first ever Director of Security and in partnership with INTERPOL; launching of a campaign to stop violence against women.
In addition, FIFA organises training programmes for coaches, referees and administrators called Futuro programmes and are leaving no stone unturned also in an effort to commercialise the game by championing efficient services to the global soccer fraternity with performance on and off the field.
Today, with a turnover of more than two billion Swiss Francs every four years, FIFA enjoys a financial status, that governing body’s founders could hardly have dreamt of.
Revenue accruing form the lucrative marketing of her competitions and programmes all year round are re-invested in grassroots development of world football and competitions at various levels including enriching of the libraries of member associations, individuals and other stakeholders with publications, journals, magazines, souvenirs, pins etc. to help sustain interest and update knowledge.
After his election to the FIFA Presidency in 1998, Blatter decided to help the national associations and the Confederations through two programmes – The Financial Assistance programme (FAP) and the Goal project.
With FAP each of the six confederations receives USD 1 million for the same period. These programs ensure that national associations own befitting administrative blocks, good playing football fields, training and re-training of stakeholders and other logistics help to develop the game in all the countries affiliated to the Body.
Today, also about 1.5 billion people, that is, about one sixth of the world’s population of 7 billion in engaged in the football industry. There are about 265 million footballers in the world representing about 4 million teams, about 35 million women play football all over the world, 80 percent of whom are youngsters and there are about 6 million referees worldwide.
FIFA also donates to charity and have formed the Save-Our-Souls children’s villages, using football as helping hand to fund over 700 villages in no fewer than 180 countries worldwide that are caring for over 800,000 children; FIFA also donates to victims of disasters like the victims of Tsunami; earthquake victims in Haiti and families of the Zambian World Cup contingent that died in an air crash in Gabon in 1993; the family of Marc Vivien-foe who died on the field of play during the Confederations Cup.
With the birth of FIFA in the turn of the last century, football has grown to become the world’s most popular sport today. Through her numerous competitions, FIFA has turned the world into one big family as nation with divergent ideologies and interests put their differences behind them to embrace in the field of football, thus promoting peace and brotherhood on earth.
All these are a few indications that FIFA has succeeded in bringing the World into one big family. It is indeed a celebration of excellence for the 111-years-old.
Ejikeme Ikwunze
Ejikeme Ikwunze is the Special Adviser to Abia State Governor on sports
