The biggest obstacles for FIFA and football leagues across Europe are match-fixing and other forms of illegal sportsbetting. For years, these crimes have hindered the development of the industry and Sepp Blatter has had enough. The Swiss FIFA president has announced a $1 billion initiative that would help to develop the game and fight match-fixing.
This announcement comes shortly before FIFA’s presidential elections. Also running for the position is Mohamed Bin Hammam, the current president of the Asian Football Confederation. Industry insiders believe that Blatter’s plan is solely a way to earn votes, but they also recognize that the organization is in need of initiatives to fight betting crimes.
Match-fixing and illegal betting are become big problems for FIFA. In light of these challenging times, Blatter believes that FIFA is in need of stability. As part of his plan, he will be implementing a new zero-tolerance approach, meaning that anyone caught committing these crimes will be punished severely the first time they are caught.
Blatter has already done a great deal of good work for FIFA since he took on the position of president. When he started, the organization was close to bankrupt, but he boosted FIFA over the years, earning it $1.2 billion in reserves. He plans on continuing to improve the organization and hopes to win the upcoming election.
