ICSS Statement – Governance of Football Requires Independent Restructuring Now
If media reports are correct, the decision to provisionally suspend the FIFA President is a significant move by the FIFA Ethics Committee and represents a defining moment for world football and wider sport.
Football, not just FIFA stands on the precipice of disaster. It is now absolutely vital that the entire governance structure of world football, not just FIFA, is independently restructured by credible figures including those from outside of sport and credible individuals from within the football environment such as associations and clubs, in order to restore trust and ensure the integrity of the game.
The International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) and other likeminded organisations have been calling for the creation of an independent and neutral global oversight body that monitors all sport governing bodies. This must happen now. There is no longer a choice. The events over the last few months involving FIFA show that sport is in grave danger.
Leading governments and international organisations must be clear and lead in creating a global mechanism that will save sport. The Sorbonne-ICSS report provides the respected multi-disciplinary independent road-map to achieve this.
No more discussions, no more avoiding the very serious corruption that surrounds organised international sport today. It is time for an independent and neutral action from outside of sport, including governments, business and law enforcement, to rebuild trust and restore the credibility of sport.