Watchdog tells FIFA to do more on graft
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Shanghai Daily, August 17, 2011
FIFA should limit terms for senior officials, set up an independent group to clear up anti-corruption allegations and "embrace transparency", corruption watchdog Transparency International said yesterday.
TI said that, despite recent measures, world soccer's governing body still gave the impression of being run "like an old boys' network".
FIFA reacted swiftly to TI's findings, issuing a statement which said: "The FIFA president already publicly stated in October 2010 that FIFA would show zero tolerance towards any form of corruption in football.
TI, however, said a great deal remained to be done at FIFA and urged that a new anti-corruption group should comprise representatives from outside FIFA, such as elder statesmen, sponsors, media and civil society, and from inside football, such as players, those involved in women's football, referees and supporters.
"FIFA says it wants to reform, but successive bribery scandals have left public trust in it at an all-time low," said Sylvia Schenk, TI's senior adviser on sport.
Oversight group
"Working with an oversight group - taking its advice, giving it access, letting it participate in investigations - will show whether there is going to be real change. The process has to start now."
Sepp Blatter, FIFA president re-elected for a fourth term in June, promised to create a new committee to act as a watchdog, mentioning former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger and Spanish tenor Placido Domingo as possible members.
FIFA has been hit by a series of corruption scandals in the last year.
Two executive committee members were banned last November for allegedly offering to sell their votes in the contest to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, subsequently awarded to Russia and Qatar, respectively.
Last month, Asian Football Confederation chief Mohammed bin Hammam was banned for life for allegedly trying to buy votes in the June presidential election where he was a candidate.
