The International Football Federations Thread

[Lineker]

Fifa executive committee members may face a fit and proper persons test and have their terms of office limited under proposed reform plans.

Professor Mark Pieth, the chairman of Fifa's new independent governance committee, has published a report that includes proposals to improve the way the organisation is run.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has promised change following a series of scandals and widespread criticism of the world governing body.

In the introduction to his report, Pieth writes: "Sports, like few other activities, are about achieving through merits.

"It is fundamental that - in particular, in corruption-prone areas of the world - achievers in sports develop into role models as an alternative to corrupt politicians and businessmen.

"For that reason, it is crucial to keep the world of sports and sports officials clean."

His proposals include changes to the structure of the organisation to introduce independent directors, in line with best practice in major commercial organisations.

He says the time served by individuals on key decision-making committees should be cut to mirror the International Olympic Committee's regulations.

Members of the IOC executive committee can serve for only four years, and the IOC president eight.

Pieth highlights the need to remove potential conflicts of interest, especially in financial and commercial matters, and weaknesses in Fifa's compliance structures.

He claims the organisation needs "a world-class compliance programme".

"This requires, first of all, a clear code of conduct addressing both values and integrity issues, including especially corruption-related risks," he added.

"Enacting such a code is not a simple paper exercise, as the policy has to be implemented and applied."

Pieth recommends overhauling the code of ethics and strengthening the way it is monitored and enforced, as well as clarity over the bidding process for major events, one of the areas he highlights as vulnerable to corruption.

People who serve on the main decision-making bodies should, he says, go through a process of due diligence to ensure they are fit for office.

Pieth told journalists that if his proposals were not taken seriously he could walk away from the process.

His ideas will be discussed by the other members of the independent governance committee, who will present a final report to Fifa's executive committee next March.

[Lineker]

Uefa president Michel Platini has revealed he is willing to move European club competitions to enable the 2022 Qatar World Cup to be held in winter.

Temperatures reach 50C in Qatar during June when World Cups traditionally start - but Platini says the tournament could be played earlier in the year.

He said: "If we play in winter, [it is] not a problem to organise it."

The Qatar bid beat the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea to win the right to host the 2022 World Cup.

Qatari officials have plans that include air-conditioned stadiums and are researching the potential creation of artificial clouds which would alleviate some of the heat in the Middle East country.

However, the possibility of moving the World Cup to winter was also suggested and Platini has offered to alter the schedules of European competitions.

He told Al Jazeera English: "If the people can't come to enjoy it [because it is too hot], it's not good. Instead of stopping the [European] season in May, you play until June, then stop in December. Where is the problem?"

The Uefa president also reiterated his belief that the decision to hand the World Cup to Qatar - whose international side is ranked 95th in the current Fifa rankings - was correct as he believes it is the right time to play the competition in an Arab nation.

He added: "I think it's nice to go to another part of the world, with people who have never hosted the World Cup.

"I think it was a good decision but now we have to adapt to when and where the best moment is to play this World Cup in Qatar."

A corruption watchdog that was advising Fifa after a series of bribery and corruption scandals, has cut its ties with world football's governing body.

An official with Transparency International (TI) said two of its key recommendations had been ignored.

TI said Fifa paying an expert to oversee major reforms to how it is run would jeopardise his independence.

The expert, Mark Pieth, said he would not re-examine old scandals, another recommendation of TI.

The move is being viewed by many as a blow to the credibility of Fifa's reform process, which has been led by its President Sepp Blatter, says BBC sports news correspondent Alex Capstick.

Fifa has declined to comment on TI's move.

Sylvia Schenk, TI's sports adviser, said Mr Pieth could not remain independent of Fifa if he was being paid by the organisation.

"We believe that someone paid by Fifa cannot be a member of the independent commission [overseeing reforms]," Ms Schenk told the Press Association Sport news agency.

"He has a contract with Fifa so he is not independent in that sense."

Mr Pieth said it was common for firms to pay outside advisers to evaluate their business practices.

"We can't start asking audit firms to do their job for free just to make sure they are independent," he told the Bloomberg news website.

TI had been invited by Fifa to sit on an outside panel headed by Mr Pieth to advise on reforms.

Fifa has been embroiled in scandals that have seen four members of Mr Blatter's ruling executive committee banned or resign over allegations of bribery.

TI's involvement was seen as a key element in Mr Blatter's strategy to clean up Fifa, says our correspondent.

[Lineker]

Former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner has severely criticised the governing body's president Sepp Blatter.

Trinidadian Warner, who resigned from his position at Fifa in June, accused Blatter of "megalomania, covert racism and discrimination."

He added that he would reveal more next Wednesday about other issues, including television rights.

Blatter apologised last month after being widely condemned for suggesting racism could be settled by a handshake.

Prior to his resignation, Warner had been suspended pending an investigation into bribery allegations.

Fifa executive committee member Chuck Blazer, the general secretary of Concacaf - the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football - had alerted Fifa with allegations that Asian Football Confederation boss Mohammed Bin Hammam colluded with Warner in a plan to pay £600,000 in bribes to Caribbean associations.

Bin Hammam was banned from football for life in July, a decision he appealed against last month, meaning Blatter was re-elected unopposed.

Warner's statement berating Blatter continued: "The Fifa president must not be allowed to continue the demeaning of people of colour without someone raising a voice to tell him enough is enough."

"The Fifa president cannot continue faux pas after faux pas with impunity especially when all his wrongdoings are along the same vector of megalomania, covert racism and discrimination."

"The time has come to break the silence. One must no longer accept silence as affirming the wrong being perpetuated by the Fifa. In this regard I have decided to break my silence."

[Lineker]

Fifa has accepted a court decision clearing the way for the release of a document that is said to name football officials who took financial kickbacks.

The document allegedly reveals that Fifa officials pocketed millions of dollars from World Cup broadcast deals.

World football's governing body had repeatedly blocked attempts to have the document published.

Last year, lawyers acting for Fifa and the officials paid £3.9m to settle the case and keep their identities secret.

The 10-year-old scandal stems from alleged payments made by the International Sport and Leisure (ISL) marketing agency before its 2001 collapse with debts of $300m.

A BBC Panorama investigation last year claimed that the two officials in question were former Fifa president Joao Havelange and his son-in-law Ricardo Teixeira, a Fifa executive committee member and chairman of the World Cup organising committee for Brazil 2014.

The programme said Teixeira received £6m in bribes via a front company called Sanud which was registered in the tax haven of Liechtenstein. Both men have denied the allegations.

In May Fifa appealed for a second time against a Swiss prosecutors' decision to make the document available to the public.

But with Fifa under huge pressure to reform following months of damaging corruption allegations levelled at senior executives, president Sepp Blatter promised in October to publish the document after his executive committee met on 16-17 December.

However, Fifa postponed its publication, saying "legal measures" taken by a party involved in the scandal prevented it from releasing the court papers. Fifa did not identify which third party had stalled the process.

But a Fifa statement released on Tuesday said it had "taken note" of the court decision and will not appeal "as it corresponds to the position" taken by the Zurich-based organisation and its president.

Blatter claims he was cleared of any wrongdoing in all aspects of the ISL case. Still, the court document could give details of his awareness - in his role as Fifa president - of payments being made at a time when commercial bribery was not a crime in Switzerland.

The latest court decision is open to appeal for 30 days.

[Lineker]

Fifa will make a "definite decision" on goal-line technology at the International Football Association Board (IFAB) meeting in July.

Football's world governing body revealed that they will discuss further experiments into the technology at a meeting next month.

Also up for debate is the use of additional assistant referees.

A decision on both will then be made in a special IFAB meeting on 2 July - the day after the Euro 2012 final.

On the goal-line technology front, an independent test institute will first provide an update on the initial phase of testing, which saw eight companies demonstrate their systems at the end of last year.

The Zurich-based Empa institute will also outline what the second phase of testing between March and June will entail ahead of the July decision.

Fifa have also revealed that a meeting next month will include discussions on whether a fourth substitute could be used in games that go into extra-time.

At the meeting, which will be held in Surrey, the governing body will also re-examine what should happen to players who are sent off for denying goal-scoring opportunities in the opposition's penalty area. At the moment, they are sent off, suspended and concede a penalty, leading some to suggest that the "triple punishment" is too severe.

A total of eight proposals and amendments relating to the laws of the game will be on the agenda.

Fourth sub... not sure what to make of that. Is it really necessary?

[Colly]

My gut reaction is no. Just use your subs properly.

[Summers]

Was moving from 5 to 7 subs necessary? Per'aps not, but a good move.

One extra sub in games that go to extra time isn't a bad idea.

[DFF]

Was moving from 5 to 7 subs necessary? Per'aps not, but a good move.

One extra sub in games that go to extra time isn't a bad idea.

Persoanlly, I think having 7 subs is a little daft. Five was fine - one keeper, one defender, one midfielder, one forward, and one other of your choosing. Seven is almost like having a second team to choose from. It favours the bigger teams who can aford to have more depth to their squad.

[stokeriño]

Persoanlly, I think having 7 subs is a little daft. Five was fine - one keeper, one defender, one midfielder, one forward, and one other of your choosing.

I am endlessly grateful for the switch to 7, because it means on FM you are no longer forced to second-guess whether it will be one of your wingers or one of your central midfielders who is the more likely to get tired/injured prior to every single goddamn match.

[Adam]

Was moving from 5 to 7 subs necessary? Per'aps not, but a good move.

One extra sub in games that go to extra time isn't a bad idea.

Persoanlly, I think having 7 subs is a little daft. Five was fine - one keeper, one defender, one midfielder, one forward, and one other of your choosing. Seven is almost like having a second team to choose from. It favours the bigger teams who can aford to have more depth to their squad.

1 Goalie, 2 Defenders, 2 Midfielders and 2 Strikers seems fairer though, more balanced. I like having 7 subs, was pretty annoyed when the football league dropped back to 5 at the start of this season.

[The Lusophone]

Sepp Blatter should quit Fifa presidency, says Lennart Johannson

Former Fifa vice-president Lennart Johannson has called for the current president Sepp Blatter to step down.

Johannson lost the 1998 presidential election to Blatter, who has stayed in power since and was unopposed in securing a fourth term last year .

"It cannot be that only one man should be dictating and taking all the decisions about world football," Johannson told BBC World Service.

"There is not much more to do than to get rid of the man in question."

The Swede added that former France captain Michel Platini, who succeeded him as head of Uefa in 2007, would be an ideal replacement for Blatter at the Fifa helm.

"He is to me closer to what I was looking for," Johannson explained. "He has tried to be fair, he's open-minded, he allows discussions and he obeys decisions made by the majority".

[Dingle]

It boggles my mind that he was allowed to run for Fifa Prez unopposed. Boggles my fucking mind.

[Lineker]

Players should shake hands in the centre circle after games, a Fifa panel chaired by Franz Beckenbauer has said.

The idea comes from Task Force Football 2014, an expert group set up to improve sportsmanship and the game's image.

The German legend said: "At full time I think it would be a better image, when leaving the pitch together and not refusing a handshake."

The panel viewed footage of various incidents, such as Luis Suarez's refusal to shake Patrice Evra's hand.

Liverpool forward Suarez served an eight-match ban for racially abusing Evra in a Premier League encounter between the two north west rivals in October, and responded by snubbing the Manchester United defender during their clash on February 11.

Suarez has, however, since apologised for his actions.

Beckenbauer said such flashpoints should not be allowed to happen again.

"This is the first time I ever saw it myself. I think we simply have to stop it," he said.

But Beckenbauer said players should not be disciplined for falling short of Fifa's fair play code, and the governing body should first remind players and coaches of their responsibilities.

The Task Force was created by Fifa president Sepp Blatter to improve the image of football ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

It includes Brazil great Cafu and Kalusha Bwalya, president of the football association in Zambia - the country which won the African Cup of Nations earlier this month.

The panel were also critical of the behaviour of coaches and substitutes on the sidelines.

Bwalya noted: "Officials on the bench are the first people to get upset."

Beckenbauer suggested teams leave the field together at half-time and emerge for the second half together, as well as gather in the centre circle after the final whistle.

"That is what we used to do when I was at school," he added. "I believe one should leave the pitch the same way one has entered the pitch.''

[Lineker]

Seems as if the unpopular August international friendly date has been scrapped from the calendar.

The number of international matches played every year is likely to be slashed after European clubs and UEFA reached an agreement on proposals to change the international calendar.

The deal, which has still to be agreed with FIFA, would see an average of nine international matches played a year rather than 12.

The agreement would see nine double-headers over a two-year period with no one-off friendlies such as England's match against Holland tomorrow night.

The compromise deal was announced at the European Clubs' Association (ECA) general assembly in Warsaw today - the clubs last year demanded the number of internationals be halved to six a year.

UEFA also agreed to take out insurance to cover the wages of all players injured on international duty, starting at Euro 2012, and to increase the amount of money paid to clubs for their players taking part in the tournament. The amount was 55million euros for the last tournament and the new figure - a "substantial increase" according to the ECA - will be announced next month.

ECA chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed however that the clubs' boycott on talks with FIFA still stands.

Rummenigge said: "The agreement with UEFA is a major breakthrough for European club football. With this agreement, UEFA clearly recognises the importance of clubs and the significant contribution they make to the success of national team football.

"The negotiations have not always proved easy, but were always conducted in a fair and respectful manner. I sincerely thank UEFA, in particular UEFA president Michel Platini, on behalf of all European clubs and look forward to our continued cooperation. This is once more a proof that in the European football family solutions can be found in a co-operative and fair way."

He added: "While an agreement has been reached with UEFA, the situation remains unsatisfactory in relation to FIFA. Unfortunately, discussions with the FIFA president have failed to lead to a satisfactory outcome which takes account of the clubs' demands."

The agreement on the proposals of the international calendar would see the unpopular friendly date in August ditched.

An ECA statement added that in future the clubs will have a 'referral right', meaning they have to give their consent to all decisions affecting European club football.

The clubs have however been unable to persuade UEFA to back them in their opposition to the timing of the African Nations Cup in January and February. The agreement merely states that the tournament "shall start as soon as possible in January".

[Lineker]

(Reuters) - FIFA's law-making body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), will decide on Saturday whether teams can field a fourth substitute during extra time and also consider the future of goal-line technology and Islamic headscarves.

The 126th IFAB meeting in Bagshot, south west of London, will also debate the so-called "triple punishment" which is considered too severe for a player stopping a goalscoring opportunity as sanctions can include a penalty, a red card and a suspension.

Another item on the agenda concerns the "vanishing spray" used at last year's Copa America where referees use a spray on the grass to mark the 10 yards defenders must retreat at free kicks, with the line vanishing after a few seconds.

IFAB will hear a proposal that increasing the current quota from three to four substitutes over 120 minutes when matches go to extra time would help improve games and reduce injuries.

"The FIFA Task Force Football 2014, the medical committee and the football committee support the proposal in order to maintain the technical level until the 120th minute and to protect the health of the players," FIFA said in a statement.

As the proposal comes from the Task Force and has been proposed by FIFA, it is unlikely to be blocked in a vote of the board which comprises four representatives from the world governing body and four from the British nations of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Any amendment to the laws needs a majority of six votes to be passed.

The board will also review the latest tests on goal-line technology, an issue which has been a feature of its meetings for the best part of a decade although the debate appears now to be moving to some kind of resolution.

The board will consider progress reports following tests involving eight systems, and decide which will proceed to a scheduled second round of testing starting in March and ending in June.

FIFA said a final decision to approve goal-line technology could be taken at a further extraordinary IFAB meeting, probably on July 2, the day after the Euro 2012 final in Kiev.

IFAB will also study trials of the five-referee system, using additional assistants beside each goal to help referees' decision-making.

That experiment will be used in the European Championship after being used again this season in the Champions and Europa Leagues.

Prince Ali of Jordan, the youngest member of FIFA's executive committee, will present a case to IFAB to lift its ban and allow Muslim female players to wear the hijab, or Islamic headscarf, five years after it banned it for safety reasons.

The board will also define exactly what action a referee should take if a dropped ball is kicked directly into goal after a stoppage.

IFAB, formed in 1886, pre-dates the foundation of FIFA by 18 years and is the game's ultimate law-making body.

Changes usually take effect on July 1 ahead of the following season but can be implemented immediately as was the case last year when the board banned the use of snoods, a type of neck-warmer.

(Reporting by Mike Collett; Editing by Sonia Oxley)

[Adam]

I like the fourth substitute idea, that is something I could get on board with seeing as long as they stick with it only being available in extra time of games.

[Lineker]

Big news: Ricardo Teixeira is stepping down from his posts as head of the Brazilian football federation and the 2014 World Cup organizing committee, ending a contentious 23-year stint in charge of Brazilian football. Teixeira had taken a leave of absence for medial reasons last week, but the Brazilian federation have announced he will leave permanently to look after his health.

The head of Brazil's football federation, Ricardo Teixeira, has stepped down from his post, days after taking sick leave.

He also resigned from the 2014 World Cup organising committee.

Mr Teixeira, who led the federation for 23 years, had come under pressure over corruption allegations, which he has denied.

He has been investigated on suspicion of crimes including tax evasion but has never been convicted of any offence.

Former Sao Paulo Governor Jose Maria Marin, 79, will be replacing Mr Teixeira in both posts.

Mr Marin read out the letter in which Mr Teixeira announced his "permanent resignation".

Mr Teixeira said he was leaving with a sense of "mission accomplished".

"Football in our country is associated with two things: talent and disorganisation," he wrote.

He said he had done what was within his reach, sacrificing his health.

Last week, Mr Teixeira announced he was taking leave of absence for medical reasons. However, he did not specify the nature of his health problems.

Mr Marin said nothing would immediately change at the football federation or at the World Cup organising committee under his command.

Pressure started growing on Mr Teixeira to resign after new corruption allegations surfaced earlier this month.

But state federations voted unanimously to confirm him in the posts.

In 2001, the Brazilian Congress investigated Mr Teixeira on suspicion of 13 crimes, including tax evasion, money laundering and misleading lawmakers, but no charges were brought.

He has also been investigated for allegedly taking kickbacks from a marketing firm that worked closely with Fifa in the 1990s.

And the English Football Association accused him of improper conduct during bidding for the 2018 World Cup.

He has denied all the allegations and has never been convicted.

Edited March 12, 2012 by Lineker

[Lineker]

Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards has accused Fifa and Uefa of stealing football from the English.

At a conference in Qatar, Richards, who later injured himself tripping over a fountain, suggested that the world had England to thank for football.

"England gave the world football. It gave the best legacy anyone could give. We gave them the game," said Richards.

"Then, 50 years later, some guy came along and said, you're liars, and they actually stole it. It was called Fifa."

Richards, who is also a Football Association board member, was speaking in front of Fifa vice president Prince Ali Bin Hussein of Jordan and International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat.

He added: "Fifty years later, another gang came along called Uefa and stole a bit more."

When suggestions were made that the game could have originated in China, Richards replied in a raised voice: "It started in Sheffield 150 years ago. We started the game and wrote the rules and took it to the world. The Chinese may say they own it but the British own it and we gave it to the rest of the world."

The Premier League was quick to distance itself from the comments.

"Sir Dave is attending the conference in a private and personal capacity and his comments in no way reflect the views of the Premier League," they said in a statement.

Richards also said Fifa allowed the FA to waste money on their 2018 World Cup bid when, he said, they had little chance of winning it.

He said: "Why couldn't Fifa have said, we want to take it to the Gulf, to the eastern bloc? We spent £19million on that bid.

"When we went for it everybody believed we had a chance. But as we went through it a pattern emerged that suggested maybe we didn't."

Someone can't hold their alcohol/is an idiot.

[hugobomb]

Ugh, Richards is making FIFA, FIFA!, look resonable here. Why can't some people see the difference between making up the rules to a game and inventing it.

[Adam]

In fairness, from the mouth of Phil "Total Cunt" Gartside, Richards hadn't even had a drink. Ergo he is just a moron!

Whether England invented the game, made up the rules or what, this country still does not own the game. It is a global sport. I doubt all the other countries in the world had to ask permission from the nglish F.A. before they started playing it themselves.

Edited March 14, 2012 by AdamDRFC