By Andrew Warshaw
February 19 – FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has revealed more details of the independent “oversight” body from outside football he will introduce if elected, with former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan (pictured centre) planned to head up the group whose mission will be to help FIFA out of its quagmire of scandal and corruption.
The announcement of the five-member body was first made when Prince Ali earlier this month outlined a detailed plan of action for his first year in charge. In a statement, Prince Ali, believed to be running in third place with a week to go before the eagerly awaited election, said the group would “help steer FIFA through its first year to recover from crisis and to support the future reform process.”
Prince Ali has already discussed the idea with Annan, who led the UN between January 1997 and December 2006, and insists the oversight group is no election gimmick and that the body would focus on governance issues “with the goal of stabilising an organisation in crisis.”
In the longer term, it would turn its attention to FIFA’s development policies, and advise on aspects of the sport such as the expansion of the World Cup and combating match-fixing.
“The FIFA Oversight Group …is an essential element to revive FIFA’s reputation and restore it to what it should be – a service organisation for football,” said Prince Ali.
“Having the commitment of a group of people with such impeccable credentials, unquestioned integrity and global standing represents an unprecedented response to the unprecedented crisis sweeping FIFA.”
Prince Ali timed his announcement on the day when the Asian Football Confederation once again urged unanimous regional support for his Asian rival, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.
Other potential members of the oversight group have been named as Ernesto Zedillo (former President of Mexico), Catherine Bertini (formerly executive director of the World Food Programme) and Rick Parry (ex-ceo of the English Premier League and then Liverpool).
“The FIFA Oversight Group will serve as the safest possible pair of hands to put FIFA back on track,” said Prince Ali. “I believe that this group will be able to provide a truly interactive and participatory process for the FA’s and give them the ownership and the chance to work with the fairest and most distinguished people the world has to offer.”
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