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Transparency Intl.: 'FIFA election process non-transparent'

Vera TellmannFebruary 26, 2016

Gareth Sweeney of Transparency International urges the next FIFA president to continue the reform process: "It's important that the president sets forth his agenda for reform very clearly from the outset."

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Image: Reuters/R. Sprich

"The election process itself has been non-transparent and, in a sense, indicates the type of reforms FIFA has to take on," he said.

Sweeny pointed out that the organization had made some very questionable decisions: "The fact that we didn't have public debates,that we didn't have clarity on eligibility criteria for the candidates and so forth has limited public trust in the candidates and what they would actually do to reform FIFA."

Sweeney added that, although the role of president will be diminished after the removal of the executive powers held by suspended President Sepp Blatter, FIFA has a lot of work to do in order to convince the public that it is serious about change.

Sweeny on the independence of FIFA committee members: "What the reform package does not yet address, is what we mean – or what FIFA means – by independence. How independent will these individuals be? And precisely what are the eligibility checks these individuals will have to go through in order to sit on FIFA's committees? This has been a recommendation from Transparency International from the outset."