Blatter wants opera star Domingo as FIFA adviser

Placido Domingo

LONDON - Opera great Placido Domingo is considering an invitation from FIFA President Sepp Blatter to help clean up world football’s governing body.

Blatter on Monday said he wanted the 70-year-old Spanish-born tenor to sit on a “council of wisdom’’ alongside former U.S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger and former Netherlands player Johan Cruyff.

But Domingo is not committing to the role until he receives more information from Blatter about the committee being formed in the wake of the worst corruption scandal in FIFA’s 107-year history.

“Since 1970 - with the exception of 1978 - I have been at every World Cup final in every host country,’’ Domingo said in comments provided to The Associated Press. “In my amateur way, I am an expert in football. I am happy to have been asked to be involved with this great sport and have requested more details to see if I can be of help.’’

Blatter used a CNN interview to announce his interest in Domingo advising FIFA on its problems. “Placido Domingo will be part [of the committee],’’ Blatter said. “He is happy, he is proud that he is part [of it].’’

Domingo’s most visible involvement in football has been appearing at concerts before four consecutive World Cups from 1990 with Jose Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti, who were collectively known as The Three Tenors.

Blatter on Monday also defended the decision to approach the 88-year-old Kissinger to sit on the new committee. “People say he is an old man, but he is a wise man,’’ Blatter said.

Kissinger is yet to make a firm commitment to become an adviser and, like Domingo, is awaiting further details. “These gentlemen are more or less advisers, they are not the experts but advisers,’’ Blatter said during a visit to Azerbaijan. “What they should be also is the kind of council of wisdom, which my executive committee would not like because they think they are the council of wisdom!’’

The committee will have the power to investigate and suggest solutions to problems as FIFA recovers from a bribery scandal, which saw executive committee members Mohamed bin Hammam and Jack Warner suspended from all football activities.

The committee is part of plans by Blatter to bring a “little bit more credibility’’ back to FIFA after he was re-elected last week to serve a fourth term as president.

AP

한글 관련 기사 [일간스포츠]
FIFA, ‘오페라 가수’ 도밍고 고문으로 영입 추진

국제축구연맹(FIFA)이 세계적인 오페라 가수 플라시도 도밍고(70)를 산하 위원회 고문으로 영입할 계획이다.

제프 블래터 FIFA 회장은 7일 CNN과의 인터뷰에서 "FIFA 내 뇌물 수수 의혹과 관련된 조사권을 행사하면서 투명성을 높일 수 있는 대책을 마련하는 '지혜위원회'의 설립을 추진 중이다. 도밍고와 헨리 키신저 전 미국 국무장관, '네덜란드 축구 영웅' 요한 크루이프 등을 고문으로 영입하려 한다"고 밝혔다.

앞서 FIFA는 지난해 2018·2022 월드컵 개최지 선정 과정에서 뇌물이 오간 사실이 적발돼 비난을 받았다.