More farce from FIFA with its watered-down ethics code
August 14, 2018
A new FIFA Code of Ethics – always at best, an oxymoron – that has come into effect in the past few days is further evidence that FIFA in its current form is not fit for purpose according to campaign group, #NewFIFANow.
The ethics code changes involve a new offence of ‘defamatory statements’ against FIFA which can see those making them banned from football for up to five years, as well as a sunset period on breaches of the ethics code related to bribery.
“The impact of these changes is twofold,” said #NewFIFANow co-founder, former football executive Bonita Mersiades, and author of the only insider account of the tainted 2018/2022 World Cup bidding process.
“First, it will stop people who may have been persuaded to speak out from doing so. That was already difficult enough for many people, especially when their livelihoods are at stake, but it is even more so when they also potentially face a lawsuit they can’t afford, and being banished from the game.
“Second, major crimes, such as those in which some world football administrators and marketers have proven or alleged to have been involved, can take years if not decades, to be uncovered and investigated.
“By FIFA arbitrarily declaring through its ethics code that a bribe is no longer a bribe in FIFA’s eyes if it’s more than ten years old does nothing to give the sport or the current administration any credibility.”
Ms Mersiades said that an organisation committed to best practice transparency and accountability would assist relevant authorities if it became aware of potential criminal acts, not try to keep it quiet for ten years.
“The ISL case involved activity that went back decades. The current cases before the Swiss, French and US investigators – all of which are ongoing investigations – could well go back decades also.”
#NewFIFANow has argued consistently that FIFA is not fit for purpose, and that changing the personnel at the top of the organisation has done nothing to fix FIFA.
“These changes to the ethics code are further evidence of this. The changes do nothing to enhance the credibility of FIFA as an organisation, or of its President.”
Ms Mersiades added that the provisions in the ethics code regarding confidentiality of witnesses are also ‘not worth the paper they’re written on’.
“They have flagrantly ignored these provisions when it suited them, as everyone knows. The ethics committee is also not independent, with the committee’s secretariat managed within FIFA headquarters by FIFA staff.
“The point is, we know how the previous ethics code and previous FIFA management failed to serve the game appropriately.
“How can anyone have any more confidence in this ethics code and this FIFA?”
ENDS
A new FIFA Code of Ethics – always at best, an oxymoron – that has come into effect in the past few days is further evidence that FIFA in its current form is not fit for purpose according to campaign group, #NewFIFANow.
The ethics code changes involve a new offence of ‘defamatory statements’ against FIFA which can see those making them banned from football for up to five years, as well as a sunset period on breaches of the ethics code related to bribery.
“The impact of these changes is twofold,” said #NewFIFANow co-founder, former football executive Bonita Mersiades, and author of the only insider account of the tainted 2018/2022 World Cup bidding process.
“First, it will stop people who may have been persuaded to speak out from doing so. That was already difficult enough for many people, especially when their livelihoods are at stake, but it is even more so when they also potentially face a lawsuit they can’t afford, and being banished from the game.
“Second, major crimes, such as those in which some world football administrators and marketers have proven or alleged to have been involved, can take years if not decades, to be uncovered and investigated.
“By FIFA arbitrarily declaring through its ethics code that a bribe is no longer a bribe in FIFA’s eyes if it’s more than ten years old does nothing to give the sport or the current administration any credibility.”
Ms Mersiades said that an organisation committed to best practice transparency and accountability would assist relevant authorities if it became aware of potential criminal acts, not try to keep it quiet for ten years.
“The ISL case involved activity that went back decades. The current cases before the Swiss, French and US investigators – all of which are ongoing investigations – could well go back decades also.”
#NewFIFANow has argued consistently that FIFA is not fit for purpose, and that changing the personnel at the top of the organisation has done nothing to fix FIFA.
“These changes to the ethics code are further evidence of this. The changes do nothing to enhance the credibility of FIFA as an organisation, or of its President.”
Ms Mersiades added that the provisions in the ethics code regarding confidentiality of witnesses are also ‘not worth the paper they’re written on’.
“They have flagrantly ignored these provisions when it suited them, as everyone knows. The ethics committee is also not independent, with the committee’s secretariat managed within FIFA headquarters by FIFA staff.
“The point is, we know how the previous ethics code and previous FIFA management failed to serve the game appropriately.
“How can anyone have any more confidence in this ethics code and this FIFA?”
ENDS