News

FIFPro, the world players’ union for football, has issued a set of criteria that it believes will have a positive effect on filtering candidates for the FIFA presidential elections in 2016 and beyond.

Monday October 26 2015 marks the deadline for presidential candidates to officially announce their intention to run in February’s election and FIFPro believes there are a minimum of four criteria that any new FIFA President should meet:

• Proven capacity to drive reform of a democratic and politically complex global body
• Governance record
• Human rights record
• Understanding of the game as a sport and business

“Suffice to say, the future leader of FIFA has to be a proven reformer, an impeccable figure who passes the most stringent integrity tests,” a FIFPro statement said today. “Eliminating even the slightest perception of conflict of interest will be a critical part of a robust reform process, as opposed to the charade of self-regulation that has damaged the image of the world’s most popular sport.”

All Presidential candidates, the statement says, would need to display a track record of being able to lead, manage change and streamline outdated policies associated with a dysfunctional governance structure and politically complex global organisation such as FIFA.

“This person will understand football as both a sport and business, including how to apply a flawless governance model which separates politics from commercial activities, such as how to award the World Cup hosting rights, among other fundamental issues. A new FIFA President would also need to show a body of work based on social wellbeing, fairness, democratic values and human rights,” the statement continues.

If the candidate in question has not demonstrated these qualities in previous roles, the candidate should be eliminated from the process without further delay, FIFPro says. Read the full FIFPRO statement.