During his time in office, Sepp Blatter has been no stranger to controvesy. Famously derided as having 101 bad ideas every day, FIFA’s President has suggested that women footballers ’should wear tighter shorts’ to make the game more popular with men, capping that sexism by insulting millions of people throughout history whose dignity and humanity have been stripped bare.

Comparing Cristiano Ronaldo, a multi-millionaire whose every whim is pandered to, with those who have suffered unimaginable depravation through slavery is simply unforgivable and must surely be the final nail in his Presidential coffin. It is simply untenable that Blatter remain in office; unbelievable that those nations whose ancestors have been ripped asunder through the greed of others have not yet called for his resignation.

Quite how Blatter came to his conclusions in a television interview beggars belief. Ronaldo freely renegotiated his Manchester United contract last season, enjoying vast sums of money on a weekly basis as reward for his talent; hardly the basis of any slavery where abject poverty was rampant. All Blatter has done is convince a spoilt manchild that his toys have been taken away because his employers will not tear up his contract of employment. Ronaldo could of course force the issue and submit a written transfer request. He will not for in doing so he will deprive himself of millions of pounds in loyalty bonuses. Should United decide to sell him, they will be forced to pay this money, hardly slavery Herr Blatter.

The hypocrisy of Blatter has been laid bare for all to see. If Blatter were truly convinced of the inquitous nature of the transfer market, he would have pioneered changes long before now. Instead, he has ensured the inherent greed within the system is in plain view; clubs extorting huge sums of money for players, even of mediocre talent, buying clubs exerting pressure to ensure the talent floats to those at the top. Outside of sport, which other industries impose a fee for employing personnel currently working for a rival?

Blatter’s motivation of this outburst is hard to fathom. He knew the furore which would erupt over his words, indeed one questions whether that was his intention. Is he meddling to try to bring the Ronaldo transfer to a head? FIFA had already declared that Real Madrid were not ‘tapping’ the player up despite their ready quotes for any media outlet that asked. Blatter has also ensured that a legal challenge to the FIFA statutes governing transfers and contracts will be forthcoming in the next year or two, with him being called as a star witness. The apocalyptic scenario of clubs going their own way may well have been hastened if anarchy reigns over the transfer market. More likely though, this was purely about revenge. Under the auspices of UEFA, the European Club Association rejected his quota proposals, preferring the current ‘homegrown’ rules, approved by the European Union. Blatter could not get his own way on that and took the chance to launch an incendiary device into football. Whether it ends his career at the top prematurely will soon be seen.

Tags: Cristiano Ronaldo, FIFA, Football, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Slavery, Soccer, Transfer Gossip

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