Motion for a resolution | Doc. 12673 | 29 June 2011

More transparency and accountability at FIFA

Signatories: Mr Pieter OMTZIGT, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Mr Roberto Mario Sergio COMMERCIO, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Gianpaolo DOZZO, Italy, EDG ; Ms Blanca FERNÁNDEZ-CAPEL BAÑOS, Spain, EPP/CD ; Ms Cindy FRANSSEN, Belgium, EPP/CD ; Mr Giuseppe GALATI, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Mike HANCOCK, United Kingdom, ALDE ; Ms Françoise HOSTALIER, France, EPP/CD ; Mr Ferenc KALMÁR, Hungary, EPP/CD ; Mr László KOSZORÚS, Hungary, EPP/CD ; Mr Edgar MAYER, Austria, EPP/CD ; Mr Pasquale NESSA, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Fritz NEUGEBAUER, Austria, EPP/CD ; Mr Mikael OSCARSSON, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Mr Giacomo STUCCHI, Italy, EDG ; Ms Melinda SZÉKYNÉ SZTRÉMI, Hungary, EPP/CD ; Mr Oreste TOFANI, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Imre VEJKEY, Hungary, EPP/CD ; Mr Luigi VITALI, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Robert WALTER, United Kingdom, EDG ; Mr Marco ZACCHERA, Italy, EDG

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has become a major player in the international political and economic arena.

The economic interests of organising a tournament like the World Cup are huge. In such an organisation ethical standards should be beyond reproach, democratic control should be high and limits should be put in place on the terms of office of executive positions.

A number of accusations on the organisation’s internal elections were not dealt with in an open manner, and accusations of bribery gained credibility with accusations of vote buying linked to the awards of tournaments. This sad reality has not been elucidated thoroughly.

At the elite level, the organisation of a football tournament has become a state within a state with sweeping tax exemptions. The organising committee appears to be in receipt of candidate promises to suppress a number of laws and to avail of tax exemptions. These agreements are completely non-transparent.

A positive code based on fair play has been written for the football game. A similar code should be considered for that game’s governing body FIFA.

The Parliamentary Assembly resolves to investigate these issues.