Berne: FIFA`s executive committee is bracing itself to receive an anti-corruption report on Friday with president Sepp Blatter saying soccer`s governing body needs actions, not just words.
Mark Pieth, a professor at the Basel Institute of Governance, has produced the report on the way FIFA operates as part of an attempt to reform the organisation following a series of corruption scandals.
"Looking forward to our ExCo (executive committee) meeting," said Blatter on Twitter on Thursday. "Delighted to see my main ideas for reform in Mark Pieth`s report."
"I stressed how to improve FIFA`s governance since the beginning of last year. Not just words but actions."
"I hope my ExCo colleagues share my enthusiasm for reform."
Blatter has recently sought to distance himself from his fellow executive committee members, pointing out they are chosen by their respective continental confederations and that he has no say in the matter.
Pieth, who heads FIFA`s 13-man governance committee which was set up in November, has already suggested limiting the mandates of its leading officials and carrying out "regular due diligence checks" on them.
Blatter is due to give a media conference following the executive committee meeting, which will also hear a report from Claudio Sulser who is head of a separate team aimed at bolstering FIFA`s ethics committee.
The executive committee has been plagued by corruption allegations over the last two years, losing five members.
Mohamed bin Hammam was banned for life after being found guilty by FIFA`s ethics committee of trying to buy the votes of Caribbean officials last year when he challenged Blatter for the presidency.
Jack Warner, another executive committee member, resigned while he was being investigated in the same case.
In 2010, Tahiti`s Reynald Temarii and Nigeria`s Amos Adamu were both banned over allegations they tried to sell their votes in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting contests to undercover newspaper reporters.
Brazil`s Ricardo Teixeira quit earlier this month citing personal reasons although he was also facing corruption allegations to which he denied any wrongdoing.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, March 30, 2012, 09:09