Blatter’s victory comes as no surprise: Hayat

PFF chief hails FIFA President’s support for smaller nations

KARACHI: Stakes at the FIFA elections on Friday were high, especially for Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) President Faisal Saleh Hayat who was among the officials from 209 countries to cast their vote for either Sepp Blatter or Jordan’s Prince Ali bin al-Hussein.

According to Hayat, being a member federation of FIFA and having an equal vote to decide the next four years for world football is a responsibility, primarily because it holds the future of Pakistan in the sport.

The PFF chief also revealed that FIFA has been the biggest investor in Pakistan with $7million given in the past seven years for the development of football. And it was this factor which majorly led him to vote for the 79-year-old Sepp Blatter despite the corruption scandal from last week.

“You see, FIFA has been the only parent organisation to give in so much money to develop a sport in Pakistan,” Hayat told The Express Tribune from Lausanne. “It’s the only international federation that has been so interested in the talent and the potential of the country. Do you see the same when it comes to hockey, squash or tennis?”

The PFF chief, who is also a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) executive committee, said that as a Pakistani it was his job to choose the candidate who can push forward Pakistan’s cause.

“In the past seven to eight years, it’s not just the money or the infrastructure, but also the support we received from Blatter and the officials abroad that shows their resolve in the development of the sport in the country. No one wanted to come to Pakistan due to security concerns, but with FIFA’s continuous support, we were able to hold international events each year.”

‘Blatter’s strength lies in winning over smaller nations’

Hayat also said that Blatter’s re-election comes as no surprise because the Swiss has been a main supporter of the developing nations.

“Ours was just one example,” he said. “He gave countries like Pakistan a voice at the global level.”

Adding to why Pakistan was behind Blatter, Hayat said that the AFC, which has a total of 46 votes as a confederation, had already decided where their votes were going to go and Pakistan followed suit.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2015.

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.