FIFA reform body sets date for first meeting

Paris: FIFA`s Reform Committee, which has been tasked with cleaning up football`s corruption-hit world governing body, will meet for the first time on September 2-3.

The committee, created by outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter after a series of damaging allegations and a number of arrests of high-profile officials, will meet in Bern.

"The first meeting of the 2016 FIFA Reform Committee will be held in the Swiss capital of Bern on 2-3 September 2015," said chairman Francois Carrard in a statement.

"No further comments on the meeting will be provided at this time."

Carrard, a 77-year-old Swiss lawyer, previously guided the International Olympic Committee through its own governance reforms in the wake of the bribery scandal-hit Winter Olympics of 2002.

FIFA is currently reeling from its own corruption turmoil after seven football officials were arrested in a raid on a Zurich hotel on the eve of a FIFA congress in May.

The Reform Committee will provide a preliminary update to the FIFA Executive Committee at its regular quarterly meeting on September 24-25, FIFA said in a statement.

Meanwhile, FIFA also said Thursday they had met with their influential commercial partners who had become increasingly concerned over the corruption storm engulfing the organisation.

"FIFA met with its commercial affiliates AB InBev, adidas, Coca-Cola, McDonald`s and VISA at the home of FIFA to discuss current matters," said a statement.

"During the meeting, FIFA reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, reform, and collaboration with its valued partners. No further comment will be made on the internal discussions between the parties."