Some reform, mainly politics at FIFA Congress

PORT LOUIS, Mauritius: The FIFA Congress opened yesterday with reduced expectations for reform after one area flagged for change was set to be delayed for at least a year.
With undercurrents of politics back at play, representatives of FIFA’s 209 member countries and its high-powered leadership under President Sepp Blatter met for the ceremonial opening of the two-day congress in Port Louis.
Here, FIFA was expected to complete a two-year reform process prompted by one of its lowest periods — the fiercely criticized 2010 votes where Russia and Qatar won rights to stage the World Cup, and Blatter’s re-election in 2011 following a scandal-ravaged campaign for his opponent.
“Our congress is our annual opportunity for us, all the members of our great organization, to meet,” Blatter said, opening the congress. “To meet? Yes. To vote? Of course. And to take important decisions for the future of FIFA.” But the reform won’t be completed when the work starts Friday in the Indian Ocean paradise.
A possible vote of members on new rules to limit the age and terms of senior officials — bringing FIFA into line with the International Olympic Committee — was effectively dropped by FIFA’s executive committee Tuesday ahead of the congress. Two other areas of reform, making salaries and bonuses of top earners, including the 77-year-old Blatter, more transparent, and allowing independent observers onto the executive committee, also won’t be addressed.
While accepting it needs to change after more than a century in existence, and recent cases of high-powered corruption, FIFA is unwilling to go far enough, critics say.
The independent reformers brought in by FIFA two years ago and led by Swiss law professor Mark Pieth have already said the reforms proposed for this week’s two-day congress have not met the “highest standards.” FIFA counters it is making progress, preparing a document for reporters this week that show, according to the body, that the majority of reforms have or are being implemented.
The money-spinning and influential governing body has changed in places, strengthening its ethics committee, tightening financial controls and taking the decision on who wins the right to host the hugely profitable World Cup away from the executive committee and leaving it to the 209 member associations to vote on.