July 24 – Another of FIFA’s top World Cup sponsors has expressed its concern at the lack of progress in cleaning up the organisation and says the recently established Reform Task Force does not go nearly far enough.
Following the intervention of Coca-Cola and McDonalds, VISA became the third US corporate giant to call for an independent commission to consist of “impartial leaders” rather than FIFA administrators to ensure the reforms.
FIFA’s Task Force will comprise 10 executives from its six confederations plus a neutral chairman but in a stinging rebuke, Visa CEO Charles Scharf said FIFA’s response to its current crisis was “wholly inadequate” and that FIFA continues “to show its lack of awareness of the seriousness of the changes which are needed.”
Furthermore, he said the credit card company believes no meaningful progress can be made under the existing regime, in other words Sepp Blatter, and called for an “independent, third-party commission led by one or more impartial leaders” which, he said, “is critical to formulate reforms.”
Blatter is stepping down on February 26 after nearly 18 years following the launch of US and Swiss investigations into widespread corruption by FIFA executives spanning several decades.
“We view the stewardship of our company, our brands and our clients with the utmost importance and try to hold ourselves to the highest standards,” added Scharf. “We seek to partner with those who think and act like us. I don’t believe that FIFA is living up to these standards.”
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