Blatter steals Pieth's thunder on eve of FIFA reform proposals

By Andrew Warshaw

March 29 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter, in classic tactical mode, says he is looking forward to hearing what recommendations will be made to clean up his organisation after the most scandal-tainted couple of years in its history.

On the eve of a series of proposals to be made by Swiss anti-corruption guru Mark Pieth and his 13-strong Independent Governance Committee (IGC), Blatter (pictured left with FIFA’s secretary general Jérôme Valcke) got in quick by insisting he was the one who called for change after being re-elected for a fourth and final term.

“I remain as confident and as committed as I have been from the beginning of this process,” he said.

“After the difficulties and challenges FIFA went through, I was convinced that we had to reform our organisation and I stressed that publicly, including the need for good governance, transparency and zero tolerance against wrongdoing.”

In a brief interview on FIFA’s website ahead of Pieth’s proposals – to be made public just before a news conference at the conclusion of a two-day FIFA Executive Committee tomorrow – Blatter added: “The FIFA Congress then gave me the mandate to lead this reform process in June 2011, and tomorrow we will discuss the main steps…I am really looking forward to this.”

Blatter appointed Pieth (pictured below right) last November to lead a heavyweight team to advise on how best to rekindle credibility and transparency.

Reviewing the decision to launch a two-year road map to reform, Blatter in a way stole his lead expert’s thunder – and urged the Executive Committee to back him.

“I already presented [to Congress] some of the key ideas for reform, including an independent, two-chamber Ethics Committee,” he said.

“One chamber would be able to investigate allegations and the other would be in charge of taking any judicial decisions.

“I am very pleased to note that one of the main points I mentioned nearly a year ago is now the crucial point in the recommendations made by the IGC.

“Tomorrow, Friday, it is the turn of the Executive Committee to decide if they support these reforms, to which I am absolutely committed.

“The proposed reforms will be brought to the attention of the FIFA Congress on May 24 and 25 where any amendments to the Statutes will have to be voted on.

“The reforms will have to be implemented step by step and I will do everything in my power to fulfil this promise.

“Rest assured, we will continue to follow the road map that we have established.”

Blatter earlier remarked on Twitter: “Not just words but actions. I hope my ExCo colleagues share my enthusiasm for reform.”

FIFA’s inner sanctum has been plagued by corruption scandals over the last two years, losing no fewer than five members.

Mohamed Bin Hammam (pictured) was banned for life, pending appeal, after being found guilty by FIFA’s Ethics Committee of trying to buy the votes of Caribbean officials when he challenged Blatter for the Presidency.

Jack Warner, FIFA’s senior vice-president, resigned while he was being investigated over the same affair.

In 2010, Tahiti’s Reynald Temarii and Nigeria’s Amos Adamu were both banned over allegations they tried to sell their votes during the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding contests.

And most recently, Brazil’s Ricardo Teixeira quit citing health reasons amid a host of corruption claims.

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