FIFA sets date to end ‘ExCo’ name, curb decision powers

GENEVA: The tainted ‘executive committee’ name of FIFA’s ruling panel will end on April 26. FIFA published the agenda yesterday for its special election congress on Feb. 26 which confirms the proposed rebrand to a ‘FIFA council’ with less decision-making power.

Changes to FIFA statutes, including reforms agreed by the executive committee this month, take effect 60 days after they are formally voted through by the congress of 209 member federations.

The so-called ExCo has become symbolic of FIFA’s reputation for corruption. After Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini were banned for eight years on Monday, 14 of the 24-man ExCo from 2010 are now sanctioned or under investigation by FIFA’s ethics committee, or indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice.

The new council of up to 37 members will cede day-to-day decisions to the FIFA administration, and must consult with a newly created panel of mostly non-football people A proposed new FIFA governance committee will “deal with, and advise and assist the council on all FIFA governance matters,” a proposed draft to modernize the FIFA statutes stated.

Members of that governance panel will be elected at the annual FIFA Congress at Mexico City on May 12-13, FIFA said. The revised statutes document gives detail to policy proposals agreed by the ExCo on Dec. 2-3. The proposals relied on ideas submitted by FIFA audit panel chairman Domenico Scala and shaped by a reform group chaired by former IOC director Francois Carrard. They include imposing term limits of 12 years on future presidents, who will have a more ceremonial role, and council members. Their pay and bonuses should also be published. Detail in the draft includes making the promotion of women’s football and increasing women’s roles in football governance an official FIFA objective.

FIFA’s 209 members would also be required “to prohibit all forms of discrimination” in their own legal statutes.

A new section, Article 23, is dedicated to “confederation statutes,” and makes minimum demands of the continental bodies that outgoing president Blatter has blamed for many of FIFA’s problems. FIFA also is preparing to relax its rules which prohibit government interference in how football is run by national federations.

Currently, FIFA statutes say members shall manage their business independently and “are not influenced by any third parties.” The new draft suggests “without undue influence” by others, such as governments. — AP