Football’s governing body is in crisis. A fiasco is unfolding over the decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup hosting rights, A decision not only controversial, but which has left the footballing world looking on in disbelief. Contradictions, accusations and refutations are flying around Zurich like the stationery in Gordon Brown’s office. FIFA President Sepp Blatter now thinks 2022 World Cup should be held in the winter to avoid the monstrous and overbearing heat of a Qatari summer. Yet this wasn’t in Qatar’s World Cup bid book. Surely members of FIFA’s dubious Executive Committee didn’t vote on this in Zurich on December 2nd 2010? Mohammed Bin Hammam, Exco member and Qatar’s bid chief, contradicted Sepp, saying that his country has every intention of holding the “Greatest Show on Earth” in the summer, with specially designed air conditioning stadiums being used to placate the 50C heat of the Middle Eastern summer.

UEFA President Michel Platini, Blatter’s man in Europe, wants the 2022 World Cup to be hosted by not only Qatar but all the other Gulf states, a World Cup in multiple nations. Again, this was not part of the bid, but Platini, tipped to one day become FIFA President, is proposing the idea, and it is unlikely that good friend Sepp won’t at least consider his plan. Bin Hammam on the other hand, insists Qatar will be the sole host in 2022.

This debacle is the latest in a long line of farces, controversies and scandals at the heart of football’s world governing body. The bribery allegations which led to 2 Exco members being suspended by FIFA for allegedly accepting cash in exchange for votes during the recent World Cup bidding process, CONCACAF boss Jack Warner and his quadrennial World Cup ticketing scandal, Sepp’s recent outrageous remarks on homosexuality in Qatar, the MasterCard – VISA debacle and many more.

Even the World Cup bidding process has been a debacle. Accusations of voting collusion between nations as a result of 2 World Cups being bid for simultaneously, as well as the shady voting process itself hardly improved FIFA’s sleazy image. Australia, which received a solitary vote in its bid for the 2022 World Cup, says that 2 FIFA Exco members called up their bid chiefs, claiming to be the sole voter. If it wasn’t FIFA this would be unbelievable.

All these scandals, these controversies, these crisises point to one thing, a FIFA that is out of control and freewheeling downhill towards oblivion. The governing body of the world’s biggest sport is in disarray and needs a seismic upheaval in its organisation and running if it is to avoid becoming a laughing stock. Sepp Blatter, who will probably secure a 4th term as President later this year, has come in for deserved criticism over his handling of recent controversies, especially the Qatar episode. Sepp has overseen FIFA’s rapid commercialisation of the beautiful game, and now their transformation into world sport’s most revered and secretive organisation. Yet, for all his monumentally embarrassing gaffes and abysmal leadership during tough times, Sepp is a terrific politician, and knows how to win votes for his cause. Anyone wanting to unseat him must be successful, or face ending up in the FIFA wilderness.

The unseating of Blatter would be the best thing to happen to football this year, but there appears to be no serious candidates to challenge the Swiss schmoozer. Mohammad Bin Hammam would be the most likely candidate. The head of Asian football, immensely powerful and immensely wealthy, the Qatari has the experience, the popularity and the know how to lead. Only recently, he suggested Blatter had been boss for long enough, but stopped short of announcing his own Presidential candidacy. Would he be willing to risk his power and position in run-off against the notoriously slippery Blatter? Defeat would almost certainly stop his elevation in its tracks.

Look at what happened to Lennart Johansson, Sepp’s rival for the Presidency in 1998. UEFA President Johansson was beaten by Sepp and 9 years later ousted as head of European football by the Blatter backed Michel Platini. Issa Hayatou, African football’s top dog, challenged Blatter for the presidency in 2002, was defeated, and then when Hayatou faced re-election for the African Confederation, Blatter backed Hayatou’s opponent. Whilst Hayatou comfortably won that election, the message from Sepp was clear, “Mess with me and you’ll regret it.”

Chung Mong- joon was recently ousted as FIFA Vice President by Prince Ali of Jordan. Chung was another potential candidate for FIFA President this year. And Prince Ali is a close friend of…Sepp Blatter. So that’s a rival neutralised and an ally in a senior FIFA position, a good day’s work Sepp.

Even if the incredible happened and Sepp did get the boot, there would have to be more deep rooted and wide ranging changes than just a switch in boss. Greater accountability, open transparency and the cleansing of corruption is needed to restore FIFA’s credibility. Important footballing decisions should be taken by the whole of FIFA’s congress, rather than just the all powerful 24 man Exco. Perhaps to improve FIFA’s equality, there should be the same number of representatives from each confederation on the Exco. People from football should be in charge, rather than businessmen, bureaucrats and politicians. And there needs to be greater representation for youth, amateur, disabled and women’s football at the highest levels of FIFA governance. An anti-corruption committee was mooted by Sepp recently, but has quickly disappeared amid a wave of indifference. Surely the Ethics Committee, led by former Swiss international Claudio Sulser, is responsible for purging FIFA of corruption, as they did when they suspended Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii for requesting cash for votes last year? And Sepp would probably load any new committee with his cronies; the despicable Jack Warner, Julio Grondona, with his history of anti Semitism or Blatter’s protégé Platini. A certain metaphor regarding foxes looking after the chicken coup springs to mind.

It appears that FIFA is rotten and slowly starting to disintegrate. Scandal after scandal after scandal has broken, and with each new controversy, FIFA’s integrity is damaged and tainted even further. Revolution is needed before FIFA loses all credibility and eventually ceases to exist. Ultimately, if the FIFA mockery continues, the footballing powerhouses, such as England, Spain, Italy, France and Germany, bankrolled by their hugely wealthy national leagues or possibly billionaires from the Middle East or Eastern Europe, will breakaway and form their own association. That leaves one question for FIFA. Revolution or collapse? By Chris Sykes