The scandals and corruption that have embroiled the international football body FIFA, coupled with the controversial re-election of its president Sepp Blatter last week, may have serious consequences for the upcoming World Cups in Russia and Qatar.
Allan Hansen, the Danish member of the executive committee of the European football confederation UEFA, has called for a boycott of the 2018 World Cup in Russia in an attempt to force the beleaguered Blatter out of FIFA.
During a meeting connected to the recent Europa League final, Hansen proposed to boycott the World Cup in Russia and hold a separate tournament – another European Championship – under the umbrella of UEFA in which selected South American nations could also participate.
“If we [UEFA] break out and run our own business, I am sure the countries that don’t want change will realise they can’t miss Europe,” Hansen told the British newspaper The Independent.
“I know it is undemocratic, but if we don’t want in the future to have a FIFA like the one we know today, then we have to do some radical things.”
READ MORE: DBU criticises Blatter re-election
A challenge
Hansen’s plan, however, has its pitfalls.
According to the Independent, up to 15 of the 54 UEFA nations, including Spain and France, voted for Blatter and not his main rival, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan, as previously agreed by the confederation.
UEFA is scheduled to meet and discuss breaking away from FIFA again on Friday in Berlin ahead of the Champions League final on Saturday.
Earlier this week, the Danish football association DBU – which voted for Prins Ali – called Blatter’s re-election “a defeat for world football.“
