LAUSANNE — FIFA was accused of encouraging a "culture of nepotism" on Friday by an independent body set-up to overhaul the way the world governing body operates. The commission said it was pleased with the way FIFA had implemented initial steps "toward the creation of a framework of good governance and controls," including by reforming its Ethics Commission. But it added in its report that FIFA has yet to adopt a few points "of crucial importance for successful reform," which will be subject to approval at its next congress in Mauritius in May. "The lack of transparent structures and culture of nepotism affect the organization's reputation and undermine its ability to show the way to ethical governance of the sport," said the commission in a statement. "Based on the recent statement of the 53 UEFA member associations, the independent commission of governance is not convinced that some of the key opinion leaders in football have fully grasped the consequences," it added. The commission also recommended that to improve transparency, the term of office of the president and members of the FIFA executive committee should be limited, all members of the executive committee be subject to an integrity check, and that two independent members attend meetings of the executive committee. FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced in October 2011, the creation of the commission in the aftermath of a series of damaging corruption allegations which rocked the organization. European soccer federations have also been accused of trying to water down reforms aimed at making FIFA more transparent and less prone to corruption. The Independent Governance Committee (IGC) said it was "disappointed" at a recent declaration unanimously adopted by European soccer's governing body UEFA and its 53 members. In the declaration last month, UEFA rejected a proposal to limit FIFA executive committee members to two four-year mandates. UEFA also called for the FIFA president to serve a maximum of 12 years compared to the suggested eight put forward by the IGC. "The IGC is disappointed at the tendency of some confederations and member associations (e.g. UEFA and its members) to attempt to dilute the thrust of the reform," said a statement issued by the committee. "The IGC stresses that governance reform is just as much a change of culture as of legal texts. In order to ensure that the process is continued, it needs to be supported on ongoing bases by an independent body." UEFA was also criticized for its stance on integrity checks for elected FIFA officials after saying that "if needed" they should be conducted by the respective continental confederations. The IGC report said integrity checks should be automatic and conducted by a centralized, independent body. "It is indispensable ... that the president and all members of the executive committee as well as the standing committees of FIFA undergo an integrity check performed by an independent body within FIFA centrally prior to their (re-) election." The IGC said that two independent members should attend FIFA executive committee meetings and that it would welcome steps to make football's rule-making body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), "more democratic and transparent." — Agencies
