Time for a new FIFA says Champagne

LONDON, (Reuters) – FIFA’s former director of  international relations Jerome Champagne has suggested changes  in the world governing body to help end a perception it is run  by self-interested men who do not care enough about the game.

Jerome Champagne

The erudite 53-year-old Frenchman, who left FIFA suddenly  two years ago, has now broken his silence since his unexpected  departure from his role as one of president Sepp Blatter’s chief  advisors.

Widely respected and influential in elite soccer circles,  Champagne circulated a detailed 20,000-word report to each of  FIFA’s 208 member associations yesterday.

It examines how many of soccer’s current ills developed; how  FIFA spiralled into recent crises and how it can evolve into a  more effective body. Champagne has made 11 recommendations to  improve the game, including changes at the top.

“I am speaking as a citizen of world football and it has  given me no joy to see the troubles that FIFA has faced over the  last year or so.” Champagne told Reuters in a telephone  interview.

“But after my 11 years with FIFA I think I have something to  contribute to the debate and to stimulate it, while recognising  that no one has all the answers.”

Champagne said the red danger lights were flashing in many  areas and stressed there has been a loss of trust in soccer.

“Over the last 20 years there has been a globalisation of  football which has been only loosely regulated and which has  dramatically increased the inequalities in the game and  stimulated a decrease in the uncertainty of the game’s results.”

   BALANCED VIEW

As is to be expected from a former diplomat, Champagne  retains a balanced view of the world game, and highlights many  positives in his report. The game, he says, is still expanding,  80,000 amateur matches are played each week in Germany for  example, and stadiums have improved.

But he identifies many wrongs, starting at the top where he  said one of the key problems that should be addressed is that  the FIFA president and his executive committee are elected by  different voting procedures which leads to conflict at the heart  of the decision-making process. He suggests a radical overhaul of the voting procedure with  more power vested in the president’s position – something which  could benefit the new president who will succeed Blatter in  2015.

“They key issue here is for the president to have an  executive committee who back him, for a president and executive  to share the same vision, so that modernising reforms and other  ideas are implemented and not blocked.”

He also proposes increasing the executive committee from 24  seats to 31 with future seats open for direct representation for  the clubs, women and players.

“The world has changed and FIFA must adjust to reflect these  changes better,” he said.

“In essence, FIFA’s role, defined when it was formed in  1904, is exactly the same 108 years later. It remains the  guardian of world soccer. “It was based on the British model of doing things in the  19th century, but considering all the challenges it is facing in  the modern world, new measures are necessary for it to remain  relevant in the 21st century. That is what FIFA is all about,  rather than serving personal ambitions or rivalries between  institutions.”

 FUTURE CHANGES

His 11 recommendations include changes in the relationships  between the grass roots, the professional clubs and national  associations; a split between FIFA’s commercial interests and  footballing concerns and making FIFA more democratic as well as  the introduction of technology and embracing states not  currently recognised by FIFA.  He analyses almost every aspect of the game from  overseas players appearing for foreign clubs to political  interference and refers to the increasingly significant  International Football Assoction Board, the game’s ultimate  law-making body which predated FIFA by some 18 years, which he  said “stops some brutal law changes requested by television  channels” but was perceived as not being transparent enough.

Regarding law changes and refereeing in general, Champagne  argues: “It is time to review the public debate on refereeing,  among fans and media alike, and the perception – genuine or  false – that in fact decisions are taken by a very tiny group of  persons without a lot of transparency.”

He said the introduction of new technologies, not just to  rule on disputed goals, was inevitable. Examples could be taken  from other sports to see if their laws could help improve the  game.

“We should reflect on the experience tennis and rugby on  their own methods including temporary exclusions (the sin bin),  public explanation of referee’s decisions, or rugby’s penalty  try for example.”

Since leaving FIFA, Champagne has worked, among other  things, as a consultant for Palestine, who are now FIFA members.

Champagne was something of a trouble-shooter during his  years with FIFA, solving complex problems and bringing  long-running disputes to an end. With his obvious expertise it  is not inconceivable he will return to the organisation one day.

Two people who did not have his best interests at heart are  no longer part of FIFA, which could yet facilitate his return.

“Some people attacked me, like Mohammed Bin Hammam and Jack  Warner,” Champagne explained. “They are not part of FIFA  anymore.”