by Suzanne Beishon

INTERPOL issued “international wanted persons” alerts for two former Fifa officials and four corporate executives as part of the investigation into corruption yesterday as the net looked set to close on now outgoing Fifa president Sepp Blatter.

The New York Times has been told by officials, who are hoping to win the co-operation of top Fifa officials, that the 79-year-old is a focus of a probe by US authorities.

The US Justice Department had requested the issue of the “red notices” to inform Interpol members that an arrest warrant has been issued for a wanted person with a view to extradition.

The wanted persons include former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner from Trinidad and ex-Fifa member Nicolas Leoz from Paraguay along with four sports marketing and broadcast executives.

Blatter’s shock resignation was met with a mixed reaction worldwide with many African and Asian representatives applauding Blatter’s contribution to their continents’ associations.

President of the Sierra Leone Football Association Isha Johansen explained how Blatter had helped lift the profile of football in Africa, telling BBC Radio Five Live that “Sepp Blatter has raised the game of football for Africa, the African continent, the African players.”

Meanwhile former Wembley chief executive David Griffiths was scathing of Blatter and said in response to his resignation: “Good riddance.

“We’ve got a golden chance now (to change things). We can actually sort it out, get our own house in order, sort out Fifa, Uefa and do something rather than say: ‘Oh well, let’s go on’.”

Griffiths didn’t stop with Fifa and added that England’s Football Association must also come under scrutiny and needs reform: “I remember in 1973 when Ted Croker took over and there were some Fifa officials coming up to Wembley.

“Ted Croker warned me: ‘Look David, when the Fifa officials come, make sure you’re not open to incentives that they may offer you.’ So it’s been going on for 40-odd years... I’ve only been at Wembley since 1972, but I walked into it and it was rife and rampant then.”

“We need in this country also to sort out our attitude towards football.”

Former FA chairman David Bernstein also questioned Blatter’s desire to cling to power for as long as possible, saying that it would be better if he had “gone straight away” and expressed a need for “extremely strong leadership” at the top of football in the wake of the crisis.

The trade union movement expressed anger that so little has been done to combat the human rights violations in Qatar and pointed to Blatter’s resignation as an opportunity to put things right.

ITUC general secretary Sharan Burrow said: “Fifa under Sepp Blatter not only awarded the World Cup to Qatar, it has helped shield Qatar’s brutal kafala system from reform.

“With Sepp Blatter stepping down, there’s a chance for Fifa to undo the damage it has done by telling Qatar to bring its labour laws up to global standards as a condition to host the World Cup.

“Qatar needs to wake up to the reality that the world will not accept a World Cup built on modern slavery.”

General secretary of global union for construction workers BWI Ambet Yuson said: “We believe that Fifa has the power to make football a force for change and human rights in the countries where the World Cup is arranged.

“It is high time that they take that responsibility and make workers’ rights part of the criteria for hosting the World Cup. No-one should have to die in the name of football.”