FIFA should let “eminent public figures” lead truly independent reform of the scandal-hit governing body, according to Transparency International.
The global anti-corruption watchdog published its challenge — “Give Back the Game — How to Fix FIFA” — yesterday, ahead of an executive committee meeting next week where FIFA president Sepp Blatter plans to start pushing through reforms in his final months in office.
It followed former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan being named this week by a senior Netherlands soccer federation official as the type of leader FIFA needs to restore credibility.
Transparency International, which worked with FIFA in 2011 during previous Blatter-led reforms that fell short of expectations, did not suggest individuals in a four-page document proposing changes to clean up how FIFA is run.
“FIFA is a flawed democracy that needs to be fixed urgently,” the Germany-based organization said. “FIFA needs a truly independent reform commission led by eminent public figures to oversee reform.”
Four years ago, Blatter suggested former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger could help rebuild trust in FIFA after the controversial 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding contests and his own presidential re-election tainted by a bribery scandal that removed his opponent.
Instead, FIFA appointed an advisory panel led by Swiss law professor Mark Pieth, a former UN investigator, and then ignored some key recommendations at the end of a two-year process. Pieth called for time limits on senior FIFA positions, independent directors for the executive committee, tougher internal monitoring and for FIFA salaries to be published.
FIFA and Blatter are now in crisis again, targeted by US and Swiss federal investigations of alleged racketeering, bribery and money laundering, forcing the 79-year-old president to announce his resignation plans last month.
On Monday, Blatter’s executive committee meets in Zurich to set a date for FIFA’s 209 member federations to elect his successor.
FIFA vice president Michel Platini, a former Blatter protege who leads European governing body UEFA, is the current favorite.
FIFA election rules require a four-month campaign after a deadline to nominate candidates who must have been active in soccer for two of the past five years.
That recently passed rule bars a “Kofi Annan-type” that FIFA needs, Dutch federation director Bert van Oostveen told state broadcaster NOS this week.
“Because if you don’t change the system, then everything will stay as it is,” Van Oostveen said.
Annan, a 77-year-old from Ghana, was the top UN official for 10 years through 2006, and has also attended two showpiece UEFA events this year: The Youth League final in April at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland and the Champions League final in Berlin last month.
Blatter has said he wants to leave a changed FIFA for the next president, including passing term limits that would prevent anyone matching his own 17-plus years in office.
Transparency International yesterday said that two four-year terms should be the maximum for presidents and executive committee members of all soccer bodies.
Other proposals include appointing independent outsiders as members of the FIFA executive committee and chairman of the finance committee, and competitive bidding for all commercial contracts.
For FIFA and its 209 members plus six confederations, Transparency International wants independent integrity checks for all candidates for presidential and executive seats, publishing payments to senior officials and independent auditing of all income.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
After fleeing Sudan when civil war erupted, Al-Hilal captain Mohamed Abdelrahman and his teammates have defied the odds to reach the CAF Champions League quarter-finals. They are today to face title-holders Al-Ahly of Egypt in Cairo, with the return match in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, on Tuesday next week. Al-Hilal and biggest domestic rivals Al-Merrikh relocated to Mauritania after a power struggle broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary force. The civil war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced more than 12 million people, according to the UN. The Democratic Republic of the Congo-born Al-Hilal
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their