FIFA's head of security continues to encourage whistleblowers with rewards

By Andrew Warshaw

October 17 – Four days before FIFA President Sepp Blatter unveils his eagerly awaited anti-corruption proposals, the organisation’s head of security Chris Eaton repeated today that amnesties would be offered to match-fixing whistleblowers as part of the plan.

The new scheme, first announced in August exclusively on insideworldfootball, includes a rehabilitation programme and comes into force in January.

Only those deemed to have been “unfairly compromised” will escape sanction, while there would be no immunity from criminal prosecution.

Speaking at the Professional Players Federation national conference, Eaton said: “It’s so important that players have a way that they can report this.

“Recognise, resist and report – it’s the three Rs.

“We’re going to have a rewards programme for one month from January, followed then by a hotline and amnesty programme probably for three months, all managed independently.

“This will then be followed by an assessment programme, followed by some sort of amnesty for the players who have been unfairly compromised, and there’ll be rehabilitation for those players.

“When a player’s compromised at the age of 16 or 15 – perhaps they’re under the influence of their father or their mother, their family, or the influence of a senior player – there needs to be some credit given to their situation.

“FIFA will engage upon that next year, finished by the middle of the year and then we will follow the Sepp Blatter doctrine, which is absolute zero tolerance.”

Eaton, who used to work at Interpol, said the rewards on offer would not necessarily be financial.

“The reward might not be monetary, the reward might well be some sort of process by which they are recognised,” he said.

“Sometimes, people are rewarded by the fact they’re getting it off their chest as well.

“It can be a variety of things – it doesn’t have to be money.

“I expect players to come forward.”

Match fixing has led to a number of arrests and convictions worldwide in the past two years.

The start of the Turkish league was delayed because of an investigation, with the President of champions Fenerbahçe, Aziz Yıldırım, sensationally jailed as part of the process.

In May, Blatter pledged €20 million (£17.5 million/$27.5 million) to Interpol over 10 years to help tackle the problem.

The donation includes the creation of an anti-corruption centre in Singapore.

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