By Andrew Warshaw
July 11 – The next stage in cleaning up FIFA after the most tarnished year in its history takes place next week when football’s world governing body appoints two figures who will play key roles in trying to banish corruption.
FIFA’s Executive Committee will hold a special meeting on July 17 to confirm the nominations for chairmen of the two chambers of its recently reformed Ethics Committee.
As reported exclusively by insideworldfootball last month, the meeting will also discuss the recent decision to allow a team representing the former Serbian province of Kosovo to play friendly international matches much to the anger of UEFA.
This year’s FIFA Congress in May approved the decision to split the Ethics Committee – which has been responsible for investigating several cases of corruption – into two halves.
Top international prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo (pictured above), best known for pursuing war criminals, is expected to be named as head of the chamber responsible for investigating cases.
The other chamber for actually judging cases and handing out sanctions will also be announced.
As regards Kosovo, FIFA’s controversial decision to allow them to play friendlies against established FIFA member nations has infuriated European officials who voted against the move which they see as a clear attempt by the world governing body to undermine their regulations.
UEFA President Michel Platini, it is understood, believes FIFA’s decision to partially bring Kosovo into the fold was “purely political” and is adamant to prevent UEFA statutes, which require member countries to have United Nations recognition, from being in any way compromised.
To make matters even more contentious, insideworldfootball has also been told that private discussions have been taking place for Kosovo’s first fixture to be against Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus which also has no official international footballing or political status.
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