A person with knowledge of the plan said that an official overseeing reform efforts at FIFA "has produced a radical blueprint" for reform of football's scandal-hit governing body, including the abolition of its powerful exec committee, according to Simon Evans of REUTERS. FIFA Audit & Compliance Committee Independent Chair Domenico Scala proposes "replacing the executive committee with a dual structure." The source said that there "would be a management committee including independent professionals charged with ensuring FIFA's day-to-day running, and a governing council playing more of an oversight role." The governing council, which would have a lot less power than the exec committee, "would be elected by FIFA's Congress, which consists of representatives from its 209 member associations around the world." But the proposed reforms "are likely to face huge resistance" from many within FIFA and from six regional football confederations, which currently wield a lot of influence because they nominate members of the exec committee. The move "would remove the direct link between the continental confederations and FIFA's power structure." A new Reform Committee, headed by former IOC Dir General François Carrard, "could take a different view, and although Scala is supposed to be overseeing its efforts he isn't in a position to control it." His reform plan "also includes the introduction of term limits for all elected officials in FIFA." They "would be limited to a maximum of three four-year-terms and FIFA would also then demand" that national FAs and confederations bring in the same limits (REUTERS, 8/17).
BLATTER RESPONDS: The PA reported outgoing FIFA President Sepp Blatter "has hit out at a potential successor," South Korean businessman Chung Mong-joon, for labeling FIFA "a corrupt organization." Blatter called Chung’s comments "disturbing" and pointed out that he was a FIFA VP and an emergency committee member for 17 years. Blatter: "It is disturbing, to say the least, to hear Dr. Chung Mong-joon describe FIFA as 'a corrupt organization.' ... Even more so when one recalls -- and as Dr. Chung cannot have forgotten -- that he was a FIFA vice president and a FIFA emergency committee member for 17 years from 1994 up until 2011" (PA, 8/17).
ROCHA CHARGED: RFI reported FIFA official Julio Rocha "has been charged with money laundering and corruption in Nicaragua." He "was arrested and detained in Switzerland during a raid" and is expected to be extradited to his homeland soon. Prosecutor Julia Guido said that charges against Rocha "were filed in Nicaragua" on Aug. 4. It "is alleged that he signed a broadcast rights agreement with a company" which gave him a €90,000 ($99,300) bribe (RFI, 8/18).
