The FIFA Executive Committee has fixed February 26, 2016 as the date for the election of the new FIFA president.
At the extraordinary meeting of the World soccer ruling body, which was chaired by its President, Josep Sepp Blatter, the committee agreed important reforms to be submitted for decision to the upcoming extraordinary congress, underlining FIFA’s commitment to better governance and greater accountability.
According to reports monitored on fifa.com, the reform topics proposed include enhanced centralized integrity checks for Executive Committee members, the introduction of term limits, higher standards of governance at all levels of football structures, including confederations and member associations, as well as individual disclosure of compensation.
The members it was gathered welcomed the presentation on reforms delivered by Domenico Scala, independent chairman of the Audit and Compliance Committee.
The Executive Committee, supported by the confederations, reiterated its unity and stated its firm commitment to reforms. The executive also stressed its full cooperation with the ongoing US and Swiss investigations.
To further strengthen this reform process, it was decided to set up a specific FIFA Task Force ‘Reforms’ to be chaired by a neutral chairman, who should be appointed in consultation with the confederations’ presidents. This task force would be composed of two representatives of each of the AFC, CAF, CONCACAF and UEFA, as well as of one representative from each of CONMEBOL and the OFC. Concrete and comprehensive reform proposals should be elaborated for presentation at the next ordinary FIFA Executive Committee meeting, scheduled to be held in Zurich on 24 and 25 September 2015, and thereafter be submitted for approval at the extraordinary Congress.
Meanwhile, FIFA President, Sepp Blatter yesterday stated categorically that he would not be a candidate in the election to find a successor.
“On February 26, FIFA will have a new president,” Blatter told a press conference, where he was repeatedly asked whether he would stand for re-election.