FIFA Audit & Compliance Committee Independent Chair Domenico Scala is set to chair FIFA's reform taskforce after meeting three confederation presidents, including UEFA's Michel Platini, according to Richard Conway of the BBC. Scala has been leading FIFA's "latest attempt to reform itself" since President Sepp Blatter said he would stand aside. The taskforce has been asked to "report its findings within seven weeks." But campaign group New FIFA Now said, "The notion that Mr Scala is independent is laughable." New FIFA Now is backing FIFA sponsor Coca-Cola's campaign for a "wholly independent process backed by experts and an 'eminent' chairperson to take a wider look at how the governing body can change." Scala reportedly met three of the six regional confederation presidents "over the past 48 hours" (BBC, 7/22). REUTERS' Sudipto Ganguly reported former England defender Sol Campbell believes a retired player "would be the ideal candidate to take charge of FIFA and lead a successful cleaning up operation" at the corruption-tainted world governing body. Campbell: "There are lot of intelligent guys out there who have played football ... it's just picking the right character. The right footballer with the right character, they are good team builders. They have been in pressure situations. They understand getting
deals and getting deals over the line." Campbell felt the person "should be comfortable in dealing with all the stakeholders of the game." He added, "Someone who can shake a hand of someone from the streets and shake a hand of a president or a queen" (REUTERS, 7/22).
U.N. ADVISER CALLS FOR NON-EUROPEAN: REUTERS' Tom Miles reported U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's sports adviser said on Wednesday that he felt the successor of Blatter should come from outside Europe, and a woman "would be a fantastic thing." U.N. Special Adviser on Sport for Development & Peace Wilfried Lemke said that reforms "should include limiting the terms of top FIFA officials and changing the bidding process for World Cup host countries to ensure a balance of power between the continents; but most of all FIFA needed transparency." Lemke: "And from my personal point of view, it would be good if he (the new FIFA head) is not from Europe. Everyone must have the feeling that we stay altogether in a big, big organization as FIFA" (REUTERS, 7/22).
SETTING TROUBLES ASIDE: REUTERS' Mike Collett reported Russian President Vladimir Putin and Blatter will "put aside their troubles when they take center-stage" and kick off the countdown to the 2018 World Cup on Saturday. Putin has been "cast as a villain in the West because of Russia's military involvement in Ukraine," while Blatter's presidency is ending next year "in the wake of a huge scandal over alleged FIFA corruption." But any doubts that Russia will host the World Cup because of "alleged vote-rigging in their winning bid five years ago now appear irrelevant, with huge construction programs going on in all 11 venue cities" (REUTERS, 7/22).
