Fifa should limit president’s time in office, warns governance chief
Fifa's new reform chief Mark Pieth has outlined a set of proposals to prevent corruption at world football's governing body
Mark Pieth, Fifa’s new reform chief, has unveiled a number of proposals to prevent corruption and enhance the reputation of football’s governing body.
Pieth, who was asked by Fifa to prepare a report of proposals for future reform at the Zurich-based organisation, has recommended that the Fifa president should have a limited time in office along with a host of other suggestions.
Pieth, a professor in criminal law at the University of Basel, presented his 39-page report to Fifa on Wednesday and insisted he will not be investigating any past wrongdoings.
“The report is not the end product,” Pieth told a news conference in Zurich. “It’s the beginning of our work.
“We’ve been in the [home of Fifa] and have talked to a lot of people. The significance of football is enormous.
“There has been a transformation process in the last 30 years, so that, as a governing body, means big business. We are in the house of a para-international organisation, and you have to upgrade governance to meet the requirements of a large company.”
Some of Peith’s key proposals for Fifa reform
“¢ The Fifa president should have a limited term in office, as should Fifa members
“¢ Any payments to Fifa’s member associations and to people close to them need to have “close financial scrutiny”
“¢ World Cup votes are “highly visible and politically sensitive decisions and are actually a mix of corruption risk and conflict of interest concerns”. The voting procedure needs to be revamped
“¢ Specific rules must be drawn up to clarify Fifa’s position towards gifts and hospitality, political and charitable contributions
“¢ A “discrete disclosure channel” hotline to report corruption should be made available
