Can we trust Jerome Champagne?

Lazarus Sauti

Jerome Champagne wants to succeed Sepp Blatter and believes his tagline “Rebalance the Game in a Globalised 21^st Century” is going to push him to become Fifa president in 2015.

In his campaign launch, the former senior Fifa executive cast doubt on whether he could win and admitted that he would struggle to win if the incumbent ran for a fifth term.

Asked directly whether he could beat Blatter, the Frenchman said: “Do I think I can beat Mr Blatter? No, I do not think [so]. He is a person of relevance. But it is a very hypothetical question. A lot of things can happen.”

He also frankly conceded that he may not even make the ballot paper if Blatter stands.

These open admissions raised as many questions such as: Who is Jerome Champagne? Is he serious about his bid? Can we trust him? Is he not Sepp Blatter’s puppet?

Champagne’s frank admissions also prompted questions about his motives but he was quick to say that he was not running at Blatter’s behest to flush out potential challengers nor was he running for Public Relations reasons.

“I am not doing it for personal profile. I do not know if Mr Blatter will stand or not. I am running alone, myself, with my ideas,” he said.

Champagne, who also unveiled Pele as his first high-profile backer, goes on to say: “If I am here, it is not for me. It is for the ideas I defend.

“I am running because I believe in what I am saying. I am running to win. I am running to implement my ideas.”

Champagne’s tagline “Rebalance the Game in a Globalised 21^st Century” is very catching but his sentiments do not inspire football enthusiasts to invest their trust in him.

His admissions make football stakeholders wonder whether Champagne’s idea was endorsed by Blatter, either as a way of smoking out potential competition.

Kris Voakes, Goals’ International Football Correspondent is one person who strongly believes that though Champagne’s campaign is underway, he may need more than just his global diplomatic and footballing experience to get him elected as Fifa president.

Sharing Voakes sentiments, Owen Gibson of the Mail and Guardian newspaper said Champagne’s problems, beyond securing the required five nominations from football associations around the world, are many.

“On the one hand, he is heavily identified with Fifa and Blatter. On the other, he has kept his hands scrupulously clean and is presenting himself as a reform candidate who can help to correct an “image deficit” in the eyes of fans around the world who see Fifa as utterly discredited.

Champagne, the French former diplomat who was once Blatter’s right-hand man also admitted his own bid might not secure formal endorsements from five national associations, the minimum required for him to stand.

“I do believe that I will have the five votes but a lot of things can happen,” said Champagne, who said he had that support but did not want to put pressure on his backers by naming them too soon.”

But who is Jerome Champagne?

Champagne was born in Paris, France in June 1958, and was a Saint-Etienne supporter from the age of 11. However, having been sent to school in Catalunya by his parents, he is also a fan and socio of Barcelona.

Having built up a multi-cultural resume in politics, he found himself working in Los Angeles during the USA-based World Cup of 1994, and he would also go on to work on the French Organising Committee for the following finals tournament in France.

After first at Fifa as International Advisor to President Sepp Blatter, he became known as a key ally of the Swiss.

However, after being overlooked for the role of Secretary General in 2007 in favour of Jerome Valcke, Champagne was given the less important job of Director of International Relations.

Three years later, he became the victim of a power struggle within Fifa during which severe pressure was exerted on Blatter to dispose with Champagne’s services amid allegations that the Frenchman had overstepped the mark in attempting to affect policy outside of his job description.

Since his dismissal, he has worked as a consultant to many footballing institutions around the world, having already played a key role in the development of facilities in Palestine during his time at Fifa.

He has now spent 27 of the last 31 years living and working outside of his native France, calling four different continents his home at various times and visiting a total of over 150 countries.

Now you know the man. Do you trust him?