Sponsor challenges FIFA to appoint third party to reform organization
A FIFA logo is pictured outside of the world football governing body’s headquarters in Zurich on May 30.
One of FIFA’s largest sponsors is flexing its sponsorship muscles and requesting the world soccer governing body set up an independent commission to clean house at the scandal-ridden organization.
Coca-Cola requested that “one or more eminent, impartial leaders” head reform efforts within the organization.
“We believe that establishing this independent commission will be the most credible way for Fifa to approach its reform process and is necessary to build back the trust it has lost,” the company wrote in a letter obtained by the BBC. “We are calling for this approach out of our deep commitment to ethics and human rights and in the interest of seeing Fifa succeed.”
Coca-Cola’s request for a third party to take over reform efforts represents the strongest move yet by a sponsor.
In May, a three-year U.S. Justice Department investigation, which it says uncovered a $150-million bribery and fraud scheme, resulted in the indictment of nine FIFA officials and five marketing executives.
The charges were revealed on May 27 when Swiss authorities performed an early-morning raid at a posh Zurich hotel, resulting in the arrest of several officials ahead of the 2015 FIFA Congress.
Former FIFA vice president Jeffrey Webb, 50, has been extradited to the United States, prosecutors confirmed to the Associated Press on Friday. He is the only member of the seven officials arrested in Zurich to agree to extradition.
Following the indictments, many FIFA sponsors responded with strongly worded messages for the organization, though none cut ties immediately with the organization.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter was subsequently reelected days after the charges were revealed, but then later announced his resignation.
“I have thoroughly considered my presidency, thought about my presidency and about the last 40 years in my life,” he said in announcing the decision to resign. “I am now free from the constraints of an election. I will be in a position to focus on implementing ambitious and profound reforms to follow on our initial efforts.”
Coca-Cola has now made clear how it would like those reforms to take place.
Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme
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