The U.S. Soccer Federation has stayed largely silent when it comes to Chuck Blazer, the disgraced former CONCACAF secretary general and FIFA executive committee member, but a member of the USSF's rank and file is aiming to change that.
Blazer rose up through U.S. Soccer's hierarchy to eventually assume his aforementioned positions. Now he's a convicted felon, having plead guilty to 10 counts of racketeering, wire fraud, money laundering and tax evasion in connection with his career as a soccer administrator.
Blazer's actions, along with the USSF's silence on its one-time executive vice president, are all too much for Stephen Flamhaft, the state of New York's delegate to the U.S. Adult Soccer Association, a subdivision of the USSF that will be meeting in Newport Beach Calif. on Saturday.
Flamhaft wants a letter of censure relating to Blazer be read into the record "for bringing disgrace to the organization for his unethical, corrupt, and immoral conduct."
Flamhaft also will ask that "any reference to [Blazer's] name be deleted and erased from any publications, recordings, transcripts, as well as any photographs be removed from any official documents of the USASA."
"And then I'll duck," he quipped.
There is a temptation to think that there is an air of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" about Flamhaft's efforts. But Flamhaft is not naive when it comes to the machinations of soccer governance. He's a former Brooklyn assistant district attorney. He's also steeped in the game, with his father, Jack, having served as president of the U.S. Soccer Football Association -- the forerunner to the USSF - from 1959-61.
Stephen Flamhaft represented the U.S. as a player for the team that contested the 1965 and 1969 Maccabiah Games, as well as the 1963 Pan-American Games. He's also a life member of the USSF.
During his legal career, Flamhaft was general counsel of the USSF, and at one point held the same position with the American Soccer League, whose commissioner at the time was none other than Blazer.
"Blazer is from New York, I'm from New York, I know all about him," said Flamhaft. "This is what he demands and this is what he deserves. He deserves to be censured, and my letter states that his name should be stricken from all of the records of the USSF."
Flamhaft added that he has been attempting to have Blazer censured for over five years, but had been talked out of it by various people inside the USSF. According to Flamhaft, the reasoning was that such a censure wouldn't be in the best interests of the USSF. There was also an attempt to be sensitive to the fact that Blazer has been battling colon cancer.
"I've adhered to [those wishes], but I'm no longer in a position to listen or withdraw primarily because the USSF isn't prepared to take the same positions that I'm prepared to take," said Flamhaft. "They have not in any shape or form, condemned Blazer. That's offensive to me. I'm a former prosecutor, so I have sense of balance as to what's right and what's wrong I think. This has gone on to a point where I no longer where I want to hold back."
Flamhaft said he understands that the letter of censure is largely symbolic, and when asked if he took this step to convey the anger and frustration within the rank and file membership of the USSF, he said, "Sure. They should be. How can they stand by and let this guy disgrace our reputation?"
He later added, "This is just one suggestion made by one delegate although I do have a substantial amount of credibility within the organization. People will listen.
"I don't what the effect will be, and quite frankly how it's done or will it be done or what mechanisms will need to be done. I don't know. I don't know if it has ever been done.
"I'm stepping forward honestly because I'm offended that the USSF hasn't done it."