A kickbacks case has forced one of the 24 members of Fifa’s ruling panel to leave his position. Sepp Blatter, the president has said that a member of the panel had been accepting kickbacks for offering television and sponsorship deals for the World Cup during the 1990s. He has said that it is likely that some people involved will be exonerated but it seems almost certain that one person at least will be leaving the executive committee. This information has appeared in a German newspaper which was published last Sunday.
The broadcasting rights were given to a marketing agency who went bankrupt in 2001. After this investigation was launched into alleged kickbacks and BBC documentary showed that Ricardo Teixeira had received significant sums in order to help them secure contract. All of those involved in the allegations have denied them.
Mr Blatter, the current president, has had a long commitment to tackling corruption and encouraging reform in the body. A report about the kickbacks situation will be published in late December after a meeting in Tokyo. If members are found guilty of any wrongdoing and external body will offer advice to Fifa about what action they should take.
One of the members accused of taking kickbacks was Mr Hayatou, who the BBC claimed he took around $20,000 in 1995. Mr Hayatou has claimed this was a gift and Mr Blatter has defended his actions. He is also a member of the Olympic Committee and is currently being investigated by the ethics commission for any potential wrongdoing. Disciplinary action will be considered by the board at a meeting in Switzerland early next month.