In June 2016, an independent sports governance group set up by Scottish soccer league plans published a draft report into reforming football’s governing body, the Premier League.
The report recommended that FIFA be brought in to a role that has previously been reserved for UEFA. FIFA regulation 111 (b) (1) entitles it to form an international cooperation body, which would “provide the basis to assist in furthering the Fifa agenda, and in particular the fight against corruption and the administration of the international sports bodies.” It would also be responsible for governance of the soccer world’s international competitions, and sanctions for any individual found guilty of match-fixing.
The draft report also suggested that a sports-dominated body be formed to review changes to the way games are refereed, and that the Premier League board be replaced by a National Board to “ensure ongoing reform of the Premier League.” The reform group said it hoped that FIFA could appoint a senior independent member, but also put pressure on FIFA to increase transparency around its own governance.
A report from Reuters last week suggested that the Commission had stalled as unnamed senior figures in football institutions and the Premier League sought to water down the reform plan. Last week, Premier League deputy chairman Steve Akerman announced his resignation from the campaign group, saying that he was “unable to carry on with the position as its objectives had changed from those originally envisaged.”
In response, the independent commission’s co-ordinator and leading member, Sir Trevor Brooking, wrote to Bloomberg Sports to say that “we remain extremely confident of introducing this new and radical approach to football governance to the Premier League”. Sir Trevor said that he was “hopeful of positive results” from a meeting on Friday, which is expected to have “important announcements”.