FIFA Needs Independent Oversight – Transparency Int'l

The current FIFA corruption scandal highlights the need of independent oversight over its executive committee in order to preserve autonomy and avoid politics, a Transparency International spokesperson told Sputnik on Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Anastasia Levchenko — The Transparency International spokesperson explained that the United States issued the indictments claiming that laws have been broken within its territory.

"We do not believe it should be by an outside authority taking over FIFA, rather that FIFA needs some independent oversight both at the executive committee level and in the due diligence done before the appointment of senior executives," Deborah Unger, spokesperson for the Corruption in Sport Initiative, told Sputnik.

The Swiss authorities, the spokesperson added, agreed with the US Department of Justice arguments and evidence, and carried out the arrests.

"Sports authorities have autonomy so that sport cannot be co-opted for political ends, but these organizations need to be seen to be following best practices in their governance to earn this autonomy," Unger continued.

Following the corruption scandal, Transparency International called for FIFA President Joseph Blatter to step down. According to FIFA spokesman Walter De Gregorio, Blatter is not involved in the scandal.