Sepp Blatter's reform of FIFA
will continue on Friday when delegates at the 62nd FIFA Congress
review a set of proposals aimed at modernising the way world football's governing body is run.
In an interview with Reuters this week, the 76-year-old
Swiss, whose organisation was battered by a series of scandals
last year, said he was hugely optimistic that delegates would
see how far matters had improved a year into his fourth term.
"I am an optimist," Blatter, who was re-elected in June for
what he says will be his final term, told Reuters ahead of the
congress.
"I am sure you will see at the congress that we are back in
the harbour, not heaven yet, but we are taking more people on
board and are heading to calm, clearer waters."
Blatter was elected as his organisation faced a backdrop of
bribery and corruption allegations at a tense, acrimonious
congress in Zurich, but delegates will review a series of
reforms aimed at making FIFA more transparent.
Blatter originally set a two-year "road map" for reform, but
FIFA would seem to be ahead of that schedule following
recommendations made by the Independent Governance Committee
(IGC) working under the governance expert Mark Pieth.
One of the key changes is that FIFA's Ethics Committee is
being split into two with an investigatory body and an
adjudicatory body dealing with contentious issues. It will also
approve the setting up of a new Audit and Compliance Committee
under the chairmanship of Domenico Scala, a Swiss-Italian
business and legal expert.
The congress will also co-opt the first woman, Lydia
Nsereka, in FIFA's 108-year history to the executive committee.
She is the Burundi FA President, a member of the International
Olympic Committee and also sits on Pieth's IGC body.
VERY HAPPY
"I am very happy that some of the main points I mentioned
last year, including the two-part Ethics Committee, are now the
crucial point in the recommendations made by the IGC," Blatter
said.
As well as changes to FIFA's statutes, the congress is also
expected to welcome the newly-independent state of South Sudan
as FIFA's 209th member association.
The move has been accelerated by a proposed change, that
delegates will vote on, that means new associations no longer
have to be members of their own confederations for two years
before becoming FIFA members.
South Sudan, who joined the Confederation of African
Football in February, are set to be the first to benefit from
the expected change.
Other proposals to be discussed include one from the German
FA suggesting match officials should be paid by bank transfer
within 10 days of a match rather than in cash on the day of the
game.
The congress is also expected to approve changes to
insurance rules which will now cover players on international
duty.
The FIFA Congress formally opens on Thursday night with a
short opening ceremony, but delegates only get down to business
on Friday.
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