Havelange Kicks Up Fuss Over Pele Reform Plans

Now in the final year of his reign as FIFA president, Joao Havelange is losing stature every time he moves his sagging jowls.

In his latest nonsensical utterance, Havelange threatened to throw Brazil out of FIFA and to ban the four-time world champion from defending its title in France next summer.

All because of an increasingly bitter feud with fellow countryman Pele.

But who does Havelange think the world is going to line up behind in this farcical spat? A crusty, autocratic

80-year-old who has long overstayed his welcome, or the greatest player the sport has ever known?

Their battle has been going on for almost four years, since Havelange banned Pele from any active role in the final draw in Las Vegas for the 1994 World Cup.

So, on one side of the feud there is Havelange, the lame-duck FIFA president, and on the other, Pele, Brazil’s still-nimble Minister for Sport.

Sparking the latest flare-up between the two is Pele’s attempt to reform soccer in Brazil, which is rife with corruption. By doing so, he crossed swords with Havelange, whose son-in-law, Ricardo Teixeira, is president of the CBF (Brazilian soccer federation) and a man viewed by Havelange as his heir apparent.

If Pele, in his role as a government minister, tried to interfere in soccer’s affairs, Havelange growled, Brazil would pay the price.

In reply, Pele accused his countryman of having lost what few marbles he had left.

“It was the reaction of a dictator, precipitated and arrogant,” Pele was quoted as saying by Veja magazine. “A few years ago, [Diego] Maradona told me that Havelange was gaga. I defended him [Havelange] and even fought with Maradona. But now, I think he really is gaga. I feel sorry for him.”

The verbal brawl between the man who has controlled the sport for more than two decades and the man who is its greatest-ever exponent would be almost comical were the basis for it not so serious.

Pele has one aim: to clean up the cesspool that is the Brazilian soccer federation and restore some order to the country’s amazingly chaotic and corrupt leagues.

Havelange has a different aim: to hold on to power, if only through his equally dubious son-in-law, Teixeira, whom he has elevated onto several FIFA committees in recent years, and to preserve the status quo.

But soccer is changing, the feudal trappings of the game are crumbling as players and former players seek increased power.

The [Marc] Bosman ruling brought free agency to Europe a couple of years ago and now Pele wants to extend it worldwide, starting in Brazil.

He has introduced a bill that would make Brazilian club directors more accountable and referees and disciplinary tribunals independent of the CBF.

Havelange says this is against FIFA rules and claims there is nothing wrong with the way the sport is run in Brazil.

“Football is better organized than anything else in the country,” he said. “It has brought glories, victories and happiness to the people.”

Meanwhile, Pele, who has the backing of Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, scoffs at the idea that Havelange can prevent reforms the Brazilian government might want to institute and at the idea that Brazil could be kept out of France ’98.

“Havelange is president of FIFA, but he no longer has the power he thinks he has,” Pele said. “The hypothesis of France holding the Cup without Brazil doesn’t exist.”

A PRESIDENTIAL SQUABBLE

Havelange is due to step down as FIFA president after the World Cup, but the battle to succeed him is already running hot and heavy.

The favorite for some time has been Lennart Johansson, the Swedish president of UEFA, European soccer’s ruling body. But Havelange gets along as well with Johansson as he does with Pele and is desperate to prevent him becoming FIFA president.

To that end, Havelange last month threw his not inconsiderable weight behind Julio Grondona, president of the Argentine soccer federation.

The idea of a Brazilian supporting an Argentine stretches the imagination at the best of times, given the countries’ sporting rivalry, and the move has gone down particularly badly with Johansson.

The Swede is especially unhappy with Havelange’s comment that: “We [South Americans] must fight, especially against European countries who want to place their candidates at the helm of world soccer.”

Considering that Havelange has been FIFA’s president for more than two decades, Johansson believes it is his continent’s turn to take the helm.

“I admire Havelange for what he has done for world soccer in 25 years,” he said. “But times have changed and the FIFA presidency should return to Europe.”

If Johansson and Grondona supporters cancel out each other in next year’s voting, do not be surprised to see Issa Hayatou of Cameroon, a well-respected FIFA vice president, assume the presidency as a compromise candidate.

SOUTH AFRICA MAKES IT

In front of a sellout crowd of more than 80,000 in Johannesburg, South Africa qualified for the 1998 World Cup on Saturday by defeating the Republic of Congo, 1-0.

South Africa becomes the sixth nation to make the field of 32, joining host nation France, defending champion Brazil and qualifiers Nigeria, Morocco and Tunisia.

A 14th-minute goal by Phil Masinga, off a pass from Columbus Crew midfielder Doctor Khumalo, earned the South Africans their first-ever berth in the World Cup.

PREKI DESERVES A CHANCE

When the United States plays Costa Rica on Sept. 7 in Portland, Ore., in a crucial World Cup ’98 qualifying match for both countries, Preki should be on the U.S. roster.

The Kansas City Wizard player proved beyond any doubt in the 1-0 loss to Ecuador in Baltimore two weeks ago that he can add a dimension to the U.S. offense that is sadly lacking--unpredictability.

His head wrapped in a huge white bandage, with blood seeping through from the nasty kick he had suffered early in the game, Preki was all over the field.

“That’s the first time I’ve seen him work so hard,” U.S. Coach Steve Sampson said. “His effort was outstanding.”

Yes, Preki is 34. And, yes, he did miss some tackles and deliver some errant passes. But he also showed more vision and more ability to create scoring opportunities than any other U.S. player.

Perhaps he is not a 90-minute player on the national team level, but Sampson must seriously consider him as a role player off the bench. Especially if the U.S. is trailing and a goal needs to be conjured out of nowhere.

“Now, it’s clear to me what I must do to be on this team,” Preki told the Washington Post after the game. “I’ll do whatever it takes. Of course, every player wants to start, but I will do anything the coach wants so I can play in the World Cup.”

COSTA RICA IN TURMOIL

This won’t cause any sleepless nights in the U.S. camp, but Costa Rica, the Americans’ next opponent in World Cup ’98 qualifying, is in turmoil.

Last Wednesday, the Costa Rican soccer federation fired Horacio Cordero as national team coach three days after his team had managed only a 0-0 tie at home against El Salvador. The Argentine had lasted only seven months in the position.

Cordero is the second Costa Rica coach to be fired this year. In January, the federation threw out “Badu” Vieira, the Brazilian coach who had successfully led the country into the final round of CONCACAF qualifying.

Vieira, a pleasant man and a more than capable coach, was dismissed for having the temerity to sue for money he was owed by one of Costa Rica’s club teams.

It was under his leadership that Costa Rica defeated the United States in an earlier qualifying round.

With Bora Milutinovic’s Mexico (3-0-2) having earned 11 points and only a victory or two away from clinching its place in France, five other countries are in a tight race for the final two CONCACAF berths.

Costa Rica (2-2-2) is in second place with eight points; the United States (1-1-3) and El Salvador (1-2-3) each has six points and Canada and Jamaica (each 1-2-2) have five.

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS

* Who is going to succeed Alan Rothenberg as president of U.S. Soccer next year--Larry Monaco, Bob Contaguglia or a dark horse candidate?

* What is 20-year-old Ronaldo going to do with the $5 million a year Inter Milan is going to pay him?

* When will MLS referees learn how to correctly interpret the offside rule?

* Which foreign player will the Galaxy leave unprotected in the November expansion draft--Jorge Campos, Eduardo Hurtado, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Martin Machon or Welton?

* Why can’t MLS, which averages twice as many fans, do as good a job marketing itself in its second season as the WNBA is doing in its first?

* How long is Andrew Shue going to remain on the Galaxy roster?

* Where else but New Jersey would they tear up real grass to put down fake?

QUICK PASSES

The San Jose Clash has loaned U.S. under-20 national team midfielder Ramiro Corrales to Anderlecht of the Belgian first division for one season. “Ramiro will get the kind of experience we can’t give him and he’ll be a better player for us when he returns,” Clash Coach Brian Quinn said. . . . MLS has fined Columbus Crew and U.S national team forward Brian McBride $500 for . . . skydiving? It seems the striker broke the terms of his contract by placing himself in a potentially dangerous situation. . . . Early candidate for MLS coach of the year has to be the Colorado Rapids’ Glenn “Mooch” Myernick. The former U.S. national team player and U.S. Under-17 national team coach has turned the Rapids from an 11-21 team a year ago to a 13-12 one this season with seven games left. Colorado is only a point out of first place in the Western Conference. . . . A 4-year-old fan named Christian, who suffers from retinoblastoma (malignant tumor of the retina in his eye), will get his wish today when he meets goalkeeper Jorge Campos at the Rose Bowl before the Galaxy-San Jose Clash game. Christian’s moment comes courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.