A former chair of FIFA’s governance committee who accused top FIFA officials of "pressuring him to ignore regulations" said Saturday that if asked, "he would provide specifics" at a British parliamentary hearing this week, according to Tariq Panja of the N.Y. TIMES. The testimony, to be given under a grant of immunity, "could raise troubling new ethics questions" for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, whose critics "remain skeptical of his commitment" to leading the organization into a "new era of transparency and good governance." Former FIFA official Miguel Maduro was appointed by Infantino in '16 to be the body's independent head of governance. But Maduro, a former Portuguese government minister, was fired by Infantino in May after eight months in the job. After his departure, Maduro said that his board had "come under pressure from senior officials to ignore FIFA rules" when it came to the eligibility of certain powerful execs. Maduro: "I have always said that if I was asked to testify in front of a national parliament, then my obligation to cooperate would take precedence." U.K. Culture, Media & Sport Committee Chair Damian Collins described Maduro's appearance in London as "really something unique." FIFA’s ethics committee has been "made aware of Maduro’s appearance," and it is that body that would "be required to scrutinize any claims of wrongdoing that he may make." FIFA declined to comment on Maduro’s planned appearance or his "potential testimony" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/10).
