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Soccer "minnows" hit back at German idea to weight FIFA votes

For the head of Pakistani soccer, a German proposal to change the one country, one vote system within the sport`s ruling body FIFA would not only be undemocratic, but also deal a major blow to nations struggling to develop the game domestically.

Soccer "minnows" hit back at German idea to weight FIFA votes

Islamabad: For the head of Pakistani soccer, a German proposal to change the one country, one vote system within the sport`s ruling body FIFA would not only be undemocratic, but also deal a major blow to nations struggling to develop the game domestically.

Faisal Saleh Hayat`s views reflect a broader backlash against proposed reforms put forward by Germany this week to give soccer powerhouses a greater say in who runs FIFA as it grapples with allegations of bribery.

Outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter ruled the powerful body for 17 years, aided by votes from less prominent soccer nations that received development funds aimed at promoting the sport.

In a May election, he won 133 votes from 209 member associations, easily beating his only rival despite the disclosure of U.S. indictments on corruption charges of a number of past and present FIFA officials. Blatter resigned a few days later as U.S. and Swiss investigations into corruption within FIFA widened.

"If tomorrow one member association is going to be more equal than the other, then of course that is going to raise serious issues, and that would not be good for world football and that would not be good for FIFA," Hayat said on Thursday.

"First and foremost is the basic principal of equality," the president of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) told Reuters in an interview in Islamabad.

Hayat, who like most Asian member countries supported Blatter last month, was unapologetic, saying that without his and FIFA`s backing, Pakistan would not have received the financial support it has over the last decade or so.

Those views were echoed by Football Kenya Federation vice president, Robert Asembo.

"Africa (member countries) always vote for the candidate with the best development plan for the continent," he said.

"Africa is still a virgin with a lot of untapped potential, and we will look favourably at people who can enable us to reach where European countries are," he said.
DEEPENING DIVIDE

The views from so-called soccer "minnows" reflect a rift within FIFA that has deepened since U.S. and Swiss authorities announced their investigations.

Pakistan has a population of 190 million, but lies 170th out of 209 in FIFA`s rankings, and soccer is hampered by cricket`s dominance, security threats and a lack of infrastructure.

Hayat said FIFA had supported eight development projects in Pakistan since he took over the PFF in 2003. He denied press reports that only one of the projects had been completed, saying four were finished and four would be completed soon.

Blatter`s opponents, mainly in Europe, want him to step down immediately and believe he has allowed the game to be tarnished by failing to tackle the suspicion that votes for lucrative tournaments and staff positions can effectively be bought.

Others in Asia, Africa and beyond, who jointly account for more than half of the 209 votes, argue FIFA has an obligation to develop soccer in countries where it does not bring in huge amounts of money and has little grass roots support.

Some also say that objections to Blatter, and proposals to change FIFA`s voting system, may be "sour grapes" on the part of countries who did not want Qatar to win the 2022 World Cup.

The FBI are investigating bribery and corruption at FIFA, including scrutiny of how it awarded World Cup hosting rights to Russia for 2018, and Qatar for 2022.

"The perception which has arisen now is that Europe, or at least part of Europe, is on one side and the vast majority of playing nations are on the other side and this is not what football is for," Hayat said.

Jerome Champagne, a former FIFA presidential candidate, said the concept of one country, one vote within the organisation was often over-simplified.

"People point the finger at Cayman Islands and Montserrat, but first they have the right, (and) secondly they had one position in all FIFA structures while Germany have seven or eight members on all the various committees," he told Reuters.

"With what would we replace it? Democracy is not a perfect system, but the guy who can find another one should give me a call."