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Marketing and Sponsorship

Sponsors Coca-Cola, McDonald's Demand Reforms At FIFA

Two top sponsors of FIFA and its World Cup tournaments "ratcheted up pressure" on the global football body for major reforms as a corruption scandal casts a "lengthening shadow" over the sport, according to Simon Evans of REUTERS. Coca-Cola and McDonald's "both made it clear that they are deeply unhappy with the way FIFA is governed and want major change." Their intervention on Friday "comes only days ahead of a crucial FIFA executive committee meeting on Monday at which both possible reforms and a timetable to elect a new president to replace Sepp Blatter, who has run FIFA for 17 years, will be discussed." Coca-Cola urged Zurich-based FIFA "to support the creation of an independent body to reform the way it is run." A Coca-Cola spokesperson said, "We have written to FIFA and asked them to support an independent third-party commission for reforms." And McDonald's said it has told FIFA that there needs to be "meaningful changes to restore trust and credibility with fans and sponsors alike" (REUTERS, 7/17). The BBC's Dan Roan wrote Coca-Cola wants the commission to be overseen by what it described as "one or more eminent impartial leaders to manage the efforts necessary to help reform FIFA's governance and its human rights requirements." In correspondence obtained by the BBC, Coca-Cola said, "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." Sharan Burrow of the Int'l Trade Union Confederation said, "Coca-Cola sets the benchmark against corruption by supporting the call for an independent reform commission to rebuild FIFA. It's now time for the other sponsors to take a stand against corruption and put the game back on track" (BBC, 7/17). McDonald's said in a statement, "At McDonald's, we know our customers around the world are passionate about football, and we share their enthusiasm. That's why we've sponsored the World Cup globally for more than 20 years. But recent allegations and indictments have severely tarnished FIFA in a way that strikes at the very heart of our sponsorship. ... We believe FIFA internal controls and compliance culture are inconsistent with expectations McDonald's has for its business partners throughout the world" (PA, 7/18).

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