FIFA members backed reforms intended to “protect against wrongdoing and improve the way FIFA works” ahead of the governing body’s presidential election.
The move was confirmed at Friday’s extraordinary congress in Zurich, with 179 delegates voting in favour of the reforms, overcoming 22 who voted against and six abstentions.
The changes are intended to improve governance, transparency, accountability, and diversity. They include replacing the current executive committee with a new council, which will feature a female representative from each confederation and reduce power handed to the elected president. The salaries of the president, council members, the secretary general, and relevant chairpersons of committees will also be revealed each year.
This animated video provides info on the most significant set of reforms in FIFA’s history: https://t.co/6O67NPv7lx pic.twitter.com/AvKUoDWOCV
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) February 26, 2016
The president, members of the council, and independent committees will serve a maximum of three four-year terms, and independent integrity and eligibility checks will be introduced from FIFA down to continental governing bodies and the football associations of individual countries.
“This congress will mark a watershed moment in the history of FIFA. We are opening a new chapter and are committed to embark on that path towards change. No one can deny we’ve had to face very tall challenges that shook the foundations of our organisation,” said acting president Issa Hayatou.
“We will vote a series of reforms that are far-reaching and progressive and help us build a strong FIFA.”
There will be greater participation & diversity in decision-making including a new Football Stakeholder’s Committee. pic.twitter.com/Cl275BZZCQ
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) February 26, 2016
Acting secretary Markus Kattner displayed the reforms in a presentation, and revealed that the corruption crisis has hit the organisation financially. High legal costs and loss of sponsorship have left FIFA some $550 million short of its $5-billion revenue target for the current four-year cycle. A lack of trust from the media and low morale among its own employees have also left the body reeling.
The changes were widely perceived as a positive step by those attending the congress, but Pakistan’s Gonzalo Boye did speak up against them: “This reform doesn’t represent a change or step forward. It seriously threatens the future of FIFA. If transparency is the objective of this reform, it moves in exactly the opposite direction.
“There will be no balance and no contra-balance. It will increase the power of the secretary general and decrease the power of the president, putting all the power in the hands of the council.”
The reforms were approved before voting commenced to choose Sepp Blatter’s successor as FIFA president. Following Tokyo Sexwale’s late suspension of his campaign, the remaining candidates are Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, Gianni Infantino, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, and Jerome Champagne.
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