Sepp Blatter’s comments about whistleblowers in David Conn’s interview are woefully misguided, but unfortunately not uncommon (Sepp Blatter after the fall: ‘Why the hell should I bear all the blame?’, 19 June). In the interview, Blatter compared whistleblowers to a child “who was a whistleblower towards the tutor” and implied they were the problem and deserved some sort of punishment for raising concerns of wrongdoing. Whistleblowing comes in many forms, and all whistleblowers deserve more respect than comparing them to tattling youngsters. Thanks to whistleblowers, nefarious schemes that have cheated taxpayers and investors, and even endangered lives, have been brought to light. Experienced and well-qualified individuals often risk their careers, and sometimes their lives, to expose and stop wrongdoing.
But views like those of Mr Blatter, or actions like the recent attempted outing of a whistleblower by Barclays CEO Jes Staley, are representative of a significant portion of the business community who think employees should be seen and not heard. In the US, whistleblowers are a key contributor to regulators’ fight against fraud and corruption. Each year whistleblowers are responsible for helping recover billions stolen and lost to fraudulent business practices. Let’s hope the Blatters and Staleys of the world don’t deter the brave individuals who muster the courage to speak up.
Erika A Kelton
Phillips & Cohen LLP, Washington DC
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