Honorary Chairman of the International Federation of Association Football João Havelange waged a fierce campaign against the English Football Association, calling on it to come to terms with the principles of victory and loss and the respect of the others. He stressed that the failure to secure the hosting of the 2022 World Cup finals was the reason behind the continuous accusations made against FIFA, confirming the soundness of the measures based on which the elections were held and rejecting the accusations of bribery. In an interview with Al-Hayat, Havelange praised FIFA President Joseph Sepp Blatter for all the efforts he deployed to develop the game around the world, expecting the next World Cup finals in Brazil to be among the most successful. On the other hand, FIFA's honorary president described Mohamed bin Hammam as being dear to his heart, indicating that the FIFA chairmanship was not exclusive to the Europeans and could be occupied by any person from Asia or Africa through democratic ways. The following is the transcript of the interview: Q: The International Federation of Association Football was recently subjected to fierce accusations related to the spread of corruption and bribery in its hallways. As former president and current honorary president of FIFA, how do you comment on that? A: There is certainly no corruption in FIFA. These are mere accusations. If someone loses the bid to host the 2022 World Cup finals, it does not mean there is corruption in FIFA. It is illogical to deal with the facts this way. FIFA's management is outstanding and its financial situation is clearly great. We must be proud of the progress witnessed in FIFA and the way it is being managed by Mr. Joseph Blatter. Currently, the FIFA premises extend over 40,000 square meters and are built in an efficient way. I see no corruption in any of the actions or accomplishments undertaken by Mr. Blatter to serve the world of football. In reality, there is an association that lost the bid to organize the World Cup and this is why it is accusing FIFA of corruption. They must realize they failed to earn that right. Q: The English Association and press could not understand why Russia and Qatar won the bid to organize the 2018 and 2022 World Cups respectively. They are wondering why it should go to these two states and thus believe there is corruption in the football organization. A: Let me ask you something. Are Qatar and Russia not members of FIFA's General Assembly? Q: Yes they are. A: Hence, they have the full right to compete in the bid for hosting the World Cup finals, and so they presented their files to organize the World Cup in a special way. Now, there is something I cannot grasp: What is wrong with that? The members of FIFA's Executive Committee compared the files presented by the competing associations, made their choice and voted on behalf of the members of the General Assembly. With all due respect to all that is being said, the decision was adopted in favor of Russia for 2018 and in favor of Qatar for 2022. Four years ago, FIFA's decision was to grant South Africa the right to organize the World Cup finals. So, why can it not be organized in the Middle East? Is there anything preventing that? I see no reason why a Middle Eastern state cannot organize the World Cup. Moreover, the International Olympic Committee selected London to host the 2012 Olympic Games. Did anyone say there was corruption in the Olympic Committee? Q: No. A: Therefore, the English Football Association should accept the decision of the members of FIFA's Executive Committee. Quite clearly, I say that Mr. Blatter's management is outstanding and no one can criticize it. In my opinion, FIFA and the Olympic Committee are working with integrity and dignity. Q: FIFA adopted a decision at the General Assembly to change the way the hosting state is determined, by giving this right to the members of the General Assembly instead of the previous way in which the voting was limited to the Executive Committee. How do you perceive this step? A: I learned to accept and respect the decisions adopted via the members of FIFA's General Assembly. But in my opinion, the previous method was better. Q: The last elections of the FIFA chairmanship witnessed heated events. Indeed, many believed that Mohamed bin Hammam was not treated well and that FIFA dealt in a dictatorial way that led to Blatter's victory. A: The President of the Asian Football Confederation Bin Hammam is a respectable person and I hold him in high esteem. But I think that as president, Mr. Blatter was an exception in the way he managed FIFA, especially in regard to financial and sports management affairs and at the level of the football revolution witnessed around the world. In my opinion, the voting was positive, just and fair. Q: Among those who were not convinced about what was happening was the English Association that asked for the postponement of the elections. A: Only one football association made this request, but during the elections and the voting, we saw that 186 members voted in favor of Mr. Joseph Blatter. Q: Blatter worked with you for around 10 years and is now going through a new stage in FIFA. How do you perceive the future of football in the next four years? A: With all due respect, the football revolution will proceed under Blatter's command. Q: FIFA's image has been shaken in light of the consecutive accusations related to bribery and corruption. A: If you disregard these accusations and take a look at the International Federation of Association Football away from their influence, you would see an organization that is operating remarkably at the level of the management and development of football around the world. There are a few problems with one or two associations, but I think there is no justification for the attacks, pressures and accusations to which FIFA is subjected by the media outlets. Quite honestly, I could not get it. Q: Proposals were made for the FIFA chairmanship to be limited to two terms and for the president to remain in his post for 8 or 12 years at the most. What is your opinion about this? A: This is a democratic organization. If we have a good president, why would he not remain in his post. If he is doing a good job, there is no reason to change him in 4, 8 or 12 years. But if this is not the case, the General Assembly can exclude him from his post. 93% of the current Assembly members preferred to see President Joseph Blatter remain at the head of FIFA, including the Saudi Football Federation. Q: What advice would you give to your friend Blatter for the next four years? A: The work conducted by Mr. Blatter throughout his chairmanship was undoubtedly outstanding. I only hope he will continue down that same path. For example, under Blatter's presidency, FIFA organized a great and unprecedented World Cup in Africa. Also under his presidency, we will see the hosting of the World Cup in the Middle East. What more do the people want from Joseph Blatter? Should he be changed because one association did not win the bid to host the World Cup finals, although this Association only earned two votes in the elections staged by the Executive Committee to select the country that will host the World Cup (raising his eyebrows in astonishment)? Q: But the British Football Association believes it only earned two votes due to the corruption in FIFA, especially since it considers it is the oldest Association and that Qatar is a small state that cannot be compared to England. A: Excuse me, but I am 95 years old. Is there a reason why I should hate my grandson just because I am 95? Qatar's size or age in the football world does not mean it has no right to host the World Cup. The work presented by Qatar to earn that right was convincing. We in FIFA, in Qatar and everywhere else should be proud because all the parties did such a good work, and this is the truth. Q: In your opinion, why was football able to achieve this wide popularity around the world? A: First of all, football is about feelings. Secondly, FIFA has spread this feeling throughout the continents. Before I came to FIFA, football was limited to Europe and North America. Now, it is seen everywhere all around the world. There are six billion people in the world, and the livelihood of 250 million of them depends on football. If there are 50 million families working in the world of football and the average family is composed of five people, it means there are 250 million people who are dependent on the game. This is the truth. What organization can sustain this many people? We should all be aware of this truth and deal with football based on our feelings. These facts should not be disregarded just because someone failed to win the bid to host one World Cup finals. Q: On the personal level, you are perceived as being a remarkable administrative model. You enjoy popularity everywhere and especially in the Arab region to which I belong. What is the secret of your personal success in the world of football? A: It is firstly about respect. I respect everyone and I have visited all the associations around the world except for the Afghan one because I was unable to go there. During my chairmanship of FIFA, I visited the different associations at least three times, and I am sure I visited the Saudi one around 15 times. Prince Faisal Bin Fahd was my friend and I always carry him in my heart wherever I go. I am pleased that everyone remembers me, but we should note that Mr. Blatter is doing an exceptional and outstanding work in the development of football around the world. At this point, I would like to seize the opportunity to talk about the friendship I enjoyed with Prince Faisal Bin Fahd, whom we all miss. Now, there is his son who is a respectable member of FIFA and the International Olympic Committee. He is following in his father's footsteps and I wish him the best of luck. Q: The next World Cup will be held in Brazil. What does this mean to you? A: In my opinion, the decision to host the World Cup finals in 12 different cities in Brazil is right on the mark, because in this way, FIFA will earn the backing of all the governmental sides in these cities, which will support the hosting of the World Cup to ensure its success. At the same time, the president of the country is highly interested in the event and closely following up on all the preparations for the World Cup finals. Moreover, the chairman of the Brazilian Football Confederation, Teixeira, is also working very hard to secure a major success. I believe that the 2014 World Cup will be a unique event that will reap massive success. Allow me to explain some details. I will be in Paris, and from there I will head to Moscow, and this is a trip I often do although everyone thinks it is a long journey. But in Brazil, if you are in Porto Alegre in the North and wish to go to the Amazon, then you must travel for eight hours. I only say this so that everyone knows the differences inside the country and between the country and Europe and North America. Q: During the long period of chairmanship over FIFA, there were no problems related to the country that will host the World Cup finals, and the situation was not similar to what we are seeing nowadays. Why have the problems emerged now and not during your term? A: There are no problems. There is just one association provoking problems because it failed to win the bid to organize the World Cup. This is all there is to it. We must not think that football is exclusive to Europe; it belongs to the entire world and consequently, anyone around the world has the right to organize the World Cup and work in the interest of football. We must not forget that football belongs to all the people around the world, and this is why it is called the World Cup. Q: Allow me to go back to the issue of Mohamed bin Hammam, considering he is a key figure who has recently been the object of all the talk. Some believe that FIFA should only be headed by a European and that this was the reason behind Bin Hammam's exclusion. A: Bin Hammam is a friend of mine and I only wish him well. But let me ask you: Do you know to whom I succeeded as president of FIFA? Q: Stanley Rous. A: But the British lost their sports leadership around the world. They must learn tolerance and how to work in the interest of international football. Why can they not accept the loss and learn how to lose? They must work hard if they want to achieve success. At this point, I would like to point to the fact that football is not exclusive to Europe. So, why can't someone from Africa, the CONCACAF or the Middle East lead international football and preside over FIFA? We are a democratic institution in which everything is done based on democratic foundations. So if there is an association that does not like the situation, then this is its own problem. Q: Finally, do you have anything you would like to say to the British Association? A: They must learn how to accept the loss and should know that football belongs to everyone. They should deploy serious work and efforts to ensure the best interest of the game around the world.
