SOCCER:THE EUROPEAN Union is to make reforming Fifa a "key priority" as pressure from governments around the world for a fundamental overhaul of world football's governing body grew in the wake of fresh allegations of bribery and corruption during the World Cup bidding process.
As Fifa promised to investigate claims from the former Football Association in England chairman Lord Triesman that four Fifa executive committee members asked for money or honours in return for their vote, and further claims made in the Sunday Times that two more accepted bribes of $1.5m (€1.05 million) from Qatar, the Conservative sports minister said pressure on the organisation would increase significantly.
Hugh Robertson said an international consensus was forming that Fifa should be made to reform in the way the International Olympic Committee was forced to change after the Salt Lake City scandal in 1999. Then, 10 IOC members were expelled or forced to resign over allegations of vote-buying during Salt Lake City’s winning bid for the 2002 Winter Olympics.
“I would like to see really concerted pressure from international bodies to get them to reform,” said Robertson. “We’re pretty wound up about it, the Dutch [and] the Australians are pretty wound up and there are a number of others.”
He said finding a way to force Fifa to reform would be one of the “key objectives” for Poland, which takes over the running of the EU Council from July.
“Cleaning up and reforming international sports institutions is a key objective of the Polish presidency for next year,” he said. “If the commission take an interest, if whatever country is holding the presidency takes an interest, if we can sustain that for more than one cycle, then we have a chance.
“No organisation likes being held up to international ridicule and constantly being told they are corrupt. It’s got to be much more transparent.”
Sepp Blatter, who is increasingly likely to win a fourth term as Fifa president on June 1st, and his challenger Mohamed Bin Hammam have promised reforms to Fifa’s structure and procedures, including the World Cup bidding process. Blatter said the allegations would be dealt with before the body’s congress in Zurich in three weeks’ time.
All four executive committee members accused by Triesman have denied wrongdoing. Brazil’s long-standing federation chief, Ricardo Teixeira, described as “absurd” the allegation he asked Triesman to “come and tell me what you have got for me”.
As Fifa demanded evidence relating to the claims made by Triesman under parliamentary privilege, the FA said general secretary Alex Horne had written to the world governing body offering its full assistance..
Bin Hammam, the Qatari president of the Asian Football Confederation who played a key role in securing the 2022 World Cup for his country, denied bribes were paid to Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma.
Triesman also claimed Fifa vice-president Jack Warner asked for cash to build an education centre and buy World Cup TV rights for the people of Haiti; that Thailand’s Worawi Makudi wanted to be given the TV rights to a friendly between England and Thailand; and that Paraguay’s Nicolas Leoz asked for a knighthood.
GuardianService
