FIFA sponsors renew reform demand

17 July 2015 20:31

FIFA sponsors Coca-Cola and McDonald's have applied fresh pressure on world football's governing body to drive through meaningful reforms.

The remodelling of FIFA's organisational structure is on the agenda for Monday's extraordinary meeting of the executive committee in Zurich.

Drinks giant Coca-Cola has called for independent leadership of the reform process in the wake of the FIFA corruption crisis.

President Sepp Blatter has claimed the future of FIFA is at stake, and Monday's meeting at FIFA House will also determine a timetable for the election to determine Blatter's successor.

Coca-Cola, which has FIFA partner status, said in correspondence seen and reported by the BBC: "We believe that establishing this independent commission will be the most credible way for FIFA to approach its reform process and is necessary to build back the trust it has lost.

"We are calling for this approach out of our deep commitment to ethics and human rights and in the interest of seeing FIFA succeed."

According to BBC Sport, Coca-Cola has stated such a commission should be driven by "one or more eminent impartial leaders to manage the efforts necessary to help reform FIFA's governance and its human rights requirements".

FIFA is engulfed in scandal amid investigations into corruption by United States and Swiss authorities.

Fast-food merchant McDonald's also defined its future expectations of FIFA on Friday, urging the Swiss-based organisation to raise its performance and conduct to a standard that gives it "credibility with fans and sponsors alike".

McDonald's, a FIFA World Cup sponsor, said in a statement to SI.com: " At McDonald's, we know our customers around the world are passionate about football, and we share their enthusiasm. That's why we've sponsored the World Cup globally for more than 20 years. But recent allegations and indictments have severely tarnished FIFA in a way that strikes at the very heart of our sponsorship.

"As a result, we have expressed our concerns directly to FIFA. We believe FIFA internal controls and compliance culture are inconsistent with expectations McDonald's has for its business partners throughout the world. We are not satisfied with FIFA's current handling of the recent incidents that go clearly against McDonald's culture and values.

"FIFA must now implement meaningful changes to restore trust and credibility with fans and sponsors alike. The world expects concrete actions and so does McDonald's."

Source: PA