Kissinger Interested In Fifa Offer

Former American statesman Henry Kissinger has been invited by the recently re-elected president of FIFA Sepp Blatter, to join his new committee to improve the accountability of world football’s governing body.

However the 88 year-old has yet to make a firm commitment to becoming an advisor for FIFA.

Sepp Blatter said that Kissinger, who was US secretary of state from 1973 to 1977, had agreed to join a ‘committee of wise persons’ to help investigate problems within the organisation.

Kissinger said: ‘If it can help the sport, I would be willing to participate. But I have to know who the other participants are and what the terms of reference are before I make a final commitment’.

‘He (Blatter) has invited me but he has not been specific except to say he wants to create a group of wise men to deal with some of the issues that have arisen’.

The committee would have the power to investigate and suggest solutions to problems which have arisen, following the huge corruption scandal which saw Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam and FIFA vice president Jack Warner suspended following allegations of bribery.

Kissinger worked on the failed US bid to host the 2022 World Cup and was on a reform panel set up by the IOC following the scandal over Salt Lake City’s winning bid to host the Winter Olympics in 2002.

Kissinger concluded: ‘My general view is that FIFA should be conducted as transparently and as democratically as is necessary to win public support’.