Sponsors to FIFA: ‘Reforms should be subject to independent oversight’

Coke, Adidas, Visa, Anheuser-Busch and McDonald’s issued a joint letter calling for the change, but some thought the action was underwhelming.

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Ever since seven high-ranking FIFA officials were arrested on bribe charges last May, there has been mounting pressure on several of its sponsors to cut ties with the organization.

This week, some of FIFA’s most notable sponsors have issued a response, though it wasn’t quite the bombshell that critics had hoped it would be.

Coca Cola, Adidas, Visa, Anheuser-Busch and McDonald’s issued a joint letter to FIFA’s executive committee urging the organization to subject itself to independent oversight.

The letter reads:

We are aware of the positive work that the Reform Committee has been doing on governance reform, but we still believe any reforms should be subject to independent oversight. It has also become clear to us that such independent oversight needs to run long-term through the implementation and evolution of the reform process. We encourage you to become champions of this independent oversight as it will only enhance FIFA’s credibility.

As independent oversight will likely make corruption and bribes harder to come by and manage, it’s unlikely that FIFA will embrace the idea. The sponsors didn’t exactly put forth an ultimatum in the letter, either.

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