The Global Alliance for Integrity in Sport demands that FIFA truly carry out an independent review

The Global Alliance for Integrity in Sport is calling for the possible external review of FIFA's governance to be independent in fact and not just in name. In a statement dated in Lisbon on 24 September, the organisation sets out five conditions for the process to be credible and points to the FIFA Council meeting on 15 October as an opportunity to make it happen.

According to the alliance, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has submitted a proposal to the Council and the 211 member associations to consult whether the body wishes to commission an external and independent review of the governance framework applicable to major strategic initiatives. The organisation values this openness, but stresses that the proposal does not yet amount to a formally established review.

"The test is not whether FIFA announces a review. The test is whether the process can earn trust," says Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, co-founder and global CEO of the Global Alliance for Integrity in Sport.

The first condition concerns the choice of who will conduct the review. The organization calls for a transparent procedure, protected from undue influence by those who may be subject to review. The criteria should be set in advance and include demonstrable independence, absence of relevant conflicts of interest, international experience in governance and knowledge of the specificities of global sport. For the alliance, reputation alone is not enough.

The second requirement is a sufficiently broad mandate. The analysis should examine how major strategic decisions are proposed, evaluated, approved and monitored, as well as the roles of the President, the Bureau, the Council, the General Secretariat and the Congress. It would also have to assess the mechanisms for control, consultation, transparency and accountability. The organisation proposes to include FIFA Forward Enterprise as a case study, without turning the process into a forensic investigation or prejudging individual responsibilities.

The third requirement combines access to information, guarantees of response and objective criteria. Reviewers should have relevant documents, advice and testimony available in a timely manner, including from decision-makers, committees and member associations. Their findings should be supported by public evidence and standards, giving affected individuals or entities the possibility to respond before closing the report.

The fourth condition requires transparency from the outset. The alliance calls for publication of the reviewers' terms of reference, methodology, timeline, funding, and relevant identity and interests. It also calls for the full dissemination of the final report and its recommendations, with limited and justified legal or confidentiality exceptions.

The fifth focuses on turning findings into verifiable actions. FIFA should commit in advance to publishing a formal response and plan addressing each recommendation, with identified decision-makers, timelines and public updates. Implementation would need to be independently monitored, and measures requiring statutory changes should be submitted to Congress.

The Global Alliance for Integrity in Sport maintains that FIFA's governance transcends the internal sphere due to its impact on 211 federations, development funds, major competitions, players and fans. In its opinion, well-designed external control strengthens the autonomy of sport by giving it greater trust and legitimacy.

The organization assures that it does not take sides in institutional disputes or align itself with electoral or confederative blocs. It also offers to contribute its universal standards of good governance and its independent evaluation and verification system, always with guarantees that preserve its independence.

Macedo de Medeiros sums up the message to the next Council meeting: "On 15 October, the FIFA Council has the opportunity to move from assurances to accountability. That opportunity must now be translated into action."