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FIFA unveil final reform plan amid new scandals

Xinhua, December 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Federation International Football Association (FIFA) executive committee on Thursday unanimously approved a set of reform proposals, after two FIFA high-ranking officials arrested earlier the day.

Ahead of the two-day executive committee meeting to wrap up on Thursday afternoon, focused on the hammer down the final reform plans, FIFA vice-president Alfredo Hawit and president of the South American Football Confederation Juan Angel Napout were arrested in a luxury hotel before dawn.

At the same hotel, Swiss police arrested seven FIFA officials in May, kicking off the comprehensive investigation against FIFA.

According to the Swiss Federal Office of Justice, the two officials are suspected of accepting bribes of millions of dollars for selling marketing rights in connection with football tournaments in Latin America, as well as World Cup qualifying matches.

The two officials are currently in custody pending extradition. However, FIFA unveiled the reform plan despite the new scandal.

The new proposal will impose maximum term limits of three terms of four years for the FIFA President as well as all members of the FIFA Council, the Audit and Compliance Committee and the judicial bodies.

In terms of clear separation of political and management functions, the FIFA Council (replacing the FIFA Executive Committee) will be responsible for setting the organisation's overall strategic direction, while the general secretariat will oversee the operational and commercial actions required to effectively execute that strategy.

The members of the Council will be elected by the member associations of the respective region under FIFA's electoral regulations, with a FIFA Review Committee to conduct comprehensive and enhanced integrity checks.

Meanwhile, the proposal expects FIFA will reduce the standing committees from 26 to nine, with increased participation of the football community, which will provide efficiency while ensuring that all member associations are involved in a more meaningful and effective way.

The recommendations will be put before the Congress as proposed statutory changes for approval at its extraordinary session in Zurich on February 26, 2016. Endit