Blatter woos African voters

FIFA president Sepp Blatter arrived in Johannesburg yesterday to meet African football chiefs as his campaign for another four-year term moves into overdrive.

The 75-year-old Blatter is slugging it out with Qatari billionaire Mohamed bin Hammam, 13 years his junior, for the right to rule the international football kingdom over the coming four years.

A secret June 1 ballot in Zurich in which each of 208 member states has one vote will determine whether Blatter wins a fourth term or Hammam becomes the first president from Asia.

There are 53 African votes up for grabs and many international observers believe the continent could hold the key to a race Blatter believes he “cannot lose” and Hammam rates a “50-50” duel.

Blatter secured the majority of African votes when he shocked Lennart Johansson in Paris 13 years ago despite Cairo-based continental governing body CAF supporting the veteran European.

And when CAF president Issa Hayatou of Cameroon took on Blatter in South Korea four years later, he suffered a resounding defeat with many African delegates voting against their boss.

Blatter was elected for a third term unopposed and must now defeat the man who has ruled Asia since 2002 and backed the Swiss when he entered the ring against Johansson.

Hayatou and his CAF executive supported Blatter last Monday for another term, but it was merely a symbolic gesture as the African governing body does not have a vote and cannot dictate to its members.

While the Swiss is revered by many Africans for keeping a long-time promise and bringing the World Cup to the continent last year, money talks on a land mass where most football associations struggle financially.

Hammam has promised to double the yearly FIFA grant for countries to $500,000 if elected and raise the costs-ceiling for special projects from $400,000 to one million.