Lennart Johansson is the honorary president of UEFA and packing right now the bags to travel to the congress in Zurich.
In his luggage, he has a definite opinion: Russia and Qatar should not rearrange upcoming World Cup.
– World Cup 2018 should go in England, and then the free ticket for the World Cup in 2022, says Johansson, 85, Sportbladet.
The news hit like a bomb in the world.
During Wednesday morning there was a police raid on the five-star luxury hotel Baur au Lac in Zurich, Switzerland, where six people with high positions in international football association was arrested at the request of the US Justice Department.
The President Sepp Blatter has not been arrested, nor will they be arrested as reported in the international media, although he is said to have appeared early in the investigation.
Do Blatter re-elected
Instead, he is expected to be re-elected as FIFA president during Friday’s annual convention.
I think in all cases, the former UEFA President, the current honorary chairman of Fifa, Lennart Johansson when Eurogoals reach him in the middle of the packing before Congress.
– I have the right to speak but not to vote, he says.
Are you going to speak to you?
– Yes, I will.
What do you say?
– I’m not surprised at what happens right now. Blatter will of course make sure he wins the election in the way that is his own. I think it is regrettable that the earth’s largest sports movement must be such leaders at the top. I think so.
Lennart Johansson has previously called for Sepp Blatter’s resignation and lost the presidential vote in 1998 against right Blatter. The Swede belonging Thus Switzerland mixer “enemies” for many years.
– I think both Michael van Praag from the Netherlands and Luis Figo were good candidates. Now they have apparently been informed of any kind that made them dropped out of this. You know they only themselves what it is that has come to them. I have met quite frequently, and they were constantly determined to set it up but then changed his mind. Then one can only speculate what happened.
You were yourself in this world for many years. Now it’s serious allegations of corruption and money laundering. Did you ever that such occurred?
– I got clear answers in connection with the FIFA 1998 election that it was not really for. There arrived the money from one direction to another, where Africans and others voted for Blatter then. Otherwise, he had not had that job. But he knows how to handle these things. He has never been prosecuted so that something could be proved. And the only thing I have is that I know what happened in 1998. And I know what I said to him in other contexts as long as I sat on the board.
What was it?
– I demanded that the football movement would know his salary, how much he took out on their own behalf. But then said the head of the Finance Committee that “This is a vote of censure against me, do not you think I have the control that such is done lawfully?”. Nah, I thought I did not but I asked anyway. With it died the case. Since I have called Blatter for “lapdog” and others in connection with that he bought votes. So there is nothing new this, but
Now it is not Blatter, who is charged with no other people in FIFA. He denies knowledge of what should have happened.
– Yes, of course. But it is so, the first time in history a president does not know what is going on in his organization.
You think he knows what is right now rolled up?
– Yes he has known everything else that has happened and remedied so why not this time? wondering Lennart Johansson.
Although the decisions to give Russia and Qatar World Cup in 2018 and 2022 are now under police investigation. Lennart Johansson does not believe that this neither has been properly added.
– No. I expect that they reconsider decisions. Blatter himself has said that the decision to move eastward was not real. I’m sure that you take the initiative to a new decision in the matter.
For both 2018 and 2022?
– Yes I think so.
Is it possible to replace the organizer as soon as 2018?
– It can go damn fast if there are countries which are able to quickly set up.
What do you think the World Cup 2018 to be played?
– Why not in England.
Why England?
– They have not had it since 1966, and called “the motherland of football”. What we might think of it. They deserve to get the attention.
So you think that the World Cup in 2018 should go in England?
– Yes, I think so. Then I think it should be free lottery when it comes to the World Cup in 2022, what should go in Qatar.
That you do if the whole election?
– Yes I think so. You ask for my opinion, and I can gladly give because I am quite convinced that as this will be done. As sure as I am that Blatter wins the presidential election again.
How should the Swedish Football Association to act on this issue, according to you?
– I have not had any contact with them until I saw that Karl-Erik Nilsson also has branded Blatter now.
How do you see it?
– Yes, if he speaks from conviction, he does right. And I think he does, there is no type that comes with power, but he means what he says. Then he is of the same opinion of me.
Finally, how do you see that go down to Zurich tomorrow, it will be a little different situation, with FBI agents in different corners, types. How do you think the mood is?
– Most will go around and keep a straight face, not saying anything. Since the electoral arrangements to be determined, and then there will be reactions during the debate in Congress. I think it will proposals that it should be given new statements in including World Cup issue, says Lennart Johansson.
No comments:
Post a Comment