Jerome Champagne represents refreshing competition to Sepp Blatter's FIFA dictatorship

Former FIFA executive Jerome Champagne confirms his intention to challenge Sepp Blatter for presidency

Call back the sniffer dogs who had searched tirelessly for their man and called the search off. At long last, Sepp Blatter has competition for the prestige of becoming, or remaining, FIFA’s sovereign ruler.

Blatter’s megalomaniac bid for a record fifth term as head of football’s governing body, FIFA, was hardly reflective of the democracy FIFA preaches. UEFA president Michel Platini had withdrawn his contention in opposing Blatter and it seemed the powerful Swiss was destined to inflict four more years of hurt on the football world. Then came Jerome Champagne.

A former French diplomat between 1983 to 1998, and a former FIFA executive during the course of 11 years, Champagne speaks of evoking sweeping changes to the footballing landscape, of a more democratic, inclusive and receptive FIFA and economic balance. The Frenchman prides his campaign for the FIFA presidency as “Hope for Football”, pledging to represent a refreshing alternative to Blatter’s despot reign.

Champagne offers much more diplomacy, campaigning for television debates to provide an insight into the flow of power at FIFA. Blatter’s deputy secretary general from 2002 to 2005, the Frenchman refreshingly differs.

It may be chicanery but his bid is endorsed by Pele, a worldwide ambassador for football, who supports Champagne’s “vision”. Recently announcing his presidency candidacy to FIFA, Champagne aspires for economically equal footballing landscape “in the wake of financial polarization” and a “balanced game in the globalised 21st century”. In times of great financial imbalances, Champagne’s views on football economics are encouraging.

Why it is Sepp Blatter’s time to step aside

Regardless of his pledges, the Frenchman’s intent is refreshing in unstable times. In times of an investigation into the dubious bidding process for the 2022 World Cup which Qatar ultimately triumphed in, it would be an insult to the lovers of the beautiful game for Blatter, a sovereign ruler guilty of a plethora of crimes against the soul of the game, to secure a fifth term as head of an organisation which proclaims itself to exist “For the Good of the Game”.

Fortunately, thankfully, a sense of anxiety will cross over Blatter’s face in Zurich in May 2015. Even though Champagne may not provide the desperately required antidote to FIFA’s risible malaise, Blatter, his statement of intent is fruitful.

Does Blatter, a global icon, merit a role of such prestige as head of football’s governing body after so many regrettable and inexplicable errors? On too many instances, Blatter has been too ridiculous and scandalous, displaying moments of sheer illogic. The 78 year-old implored for post-match handshakes to compensate for racial slurs and risibly suggested racism had been forced extinct in the football world, trivialising the admirable graft of campaign groups such as Kick It Out without compunction.

He used the word “slavery” in the context of Cristiano Ronaldo’s £80 million move from Manchester United to Real Madrid and, in reaction to the Wayne Bridge -John Terry situation, claimed Terry “would have been applauded in some Latin countries”.

Then there were examples of puerile sexism, from his “Speak up, ladies, you’re always talking at home” remark to three female FIFA board members to his curt “Listen, lady” response to a female reporter who had asked a legitimate question about corruption.

Yet Blatter is not all bad, at least compared to his predecessor Joao Havelange, who was forced to resign in 1998 after being named and shamed as one of many recipients of a bribe. As his Twitter feed would denote, Blatter strives to interact with less venerated football federations across the globe, the likes of Mauritius and Somalia included. He is no fool, but his time is up.

FIFA needs a sprinkle of new ideas, and for now, Blatter needs stern competition.