How FIFA Used the Principle of Autonomy of Sport to Shield Corruption in the Sepp Blatter Era

The “corruption crisis” that rocked the world of international soccer in 2015 raised numerous questions about the motives of the high ranking officials who have run the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) over the past three decades. This has been especially true in regard to long-time FIFA leader Joseph “Sepp” Blatter, who served as Secretary-General of the organization from 1981 to 1998 and as President from June of 1998 until October 2015, when he was removed from office. Both Blatter and his predecessor as president, Brazilian Joao Havelange, have now been implicated in significant acts of corruption, as had been widely rumored for many years.  One of the signature policies of FIFA during the Blatter era was the aggressive enforcement of what is usually referred to as the “non-intervention” or “non-interference” policy. Under this policy, the national associations that make up FIFA are required to operate without any “third-party” interference, including governmental regulation of their decisions. This article examines FIFA’s use of the non-intervention policy during the Blatter era, arguing that in many instances the principle was used to protect FIFA rather than improve public enjoyment of sport.