Fifa Announces New ‘Reform’ Taskforce to Address Corruption

World football’s governing body Fifa has set up an 11-man Taskforce to oversee its reform process.

As discussed at its meeting of executive committee (ExCo) member on Monday, reform plans include term limits for all ExCo member as well as president, integrity checks for ExCo members, individual disclosure of compensation and enhanced level of football governance at all strata, including member associations and confederations.

Fifa says its ‘Reform’ Taskforce will be led by a neutral chairman to be elected “in consultation with the confederations’ presidents.”

A Fifa statement read: “This Task Force will be composed of two representatives of each of the AFC, CAF, CONCACAF and UEFA, as well as of one representative from each of CONMEBOL and the OFC.

“Concrete and comprehensive reform proposals should be elaborated for presentation at the next ordinary FIFA Executive Committee meeting, scheduled to be held in Zurich on 24 and 25 September 2015, and thereafter submitted for approval at the extraordinary Congress.”

Fifa has already confirmed it will hold a special elective congress on 26 February, 2016, to vote for Sepp Blatter’s successor.

Sepp Blatter Has Announced He Will Stand Down as FIFA President at February's Extraordinary Congress. Image: AP.
Sepp Blatter Has Announced He Will Stand Down as FIFA President at February’s Extraordinary Congress. Image: AP.

The 79-year-old Swiss was re-elected for a fifth term at Fifa’s 29 May congress but announced he will stand down at an extraordinary congress four days later. He also said he will not stand as a candidate again and has yet to backtrack on that decision.

Blatter’s resignation speech came after seven of its high ranking officials were arrested at a Swiss hotel as part of a United States investigation. Those seven were among 14 persons indicted by U.S. authorities on corruption, conspiracy, bribery and racketeering charges.

Swiss prosecutors are also probing Fifa’s decision to award the hosting rights of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments to Russia and Qatar respectively.

Fifa ExCo’s had at its last congress, agreed upon a revised bidding regulations for future World Cups tournaments, which will now have candidate countries comply with a number of important additional criteria.

As well as confirmation of timetable for the forthcoming elections, the ExCo has also approved formal installation of Fifa’s Ad-hoc electoral committee, which will consist of the chairman of the Disciplinary Committee (Claudio Sulser), the chairman of the Appeal Committee (Larry Mussenden) and the chairman of the Audit and Compliance Committee (Domenico Scala).

“This committee will convene for its first meeting on Tuesday, 21 July, to agree on its chairman amongst other matters. As such, as of today candidates can now declare their interest in running for the office of FIFA President,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, Uefa president Michel Platini has reportedly been asked by four of six Fifa confederations to stand for election as head of football’s governing body.

Head of Liberia FA Musa Bility has already indicated intention to run for Fifa president, saying it is Africa’s time to lead world football.

Prince Ali bin al-Hussein – who lost to Blatter in the May election- has not confirmed further plans to run for the post, but has been touted as a possible contender.