Lord Goldsmith Joins FIFA’s Independent Governance Committee

Lord Goldsmith, a former attorney general has been appointed to FIFA’s new Independent Governance Committee (IGC), the organisation selected to reforming FIFA.

Lord Goldsmith will begin his stint in the committee which has been set up by football’s governing body following a number of scandals that have rocked the organisation.

Lord Goldsmith, said: “I have accepted the invitation as I believe that there are important issues of reform with which FIFA needs to deal.”

“I hope my experience from government and now in an international law practice with a heavy emphasis on corporate governance and compliance and anti-corruption issues will enable me to contribute to that work.”

The IGC does not contain a representative from Transparency International, however, after it expressed concerns earlier this month that the committee chairman, professor Mark Pieth, had been appointed by FIFA and was being paid by them.

“Our road map is very ambitious and we want to take time to look at the proposals made by the Independent Governance Committee so that we reach 2013 with results and decisions to be taken,” FiFA president, Sepp Blatter said speaking after a meeting of FIFA’s executive committee in Tokyo on Saturday.

“The executive committee is united and stands strong, and has a determination to respond to the FIFA congress and to public opinion. FIFA will carry out the necessary reforms,” he added.