FIFA is never expected to reveal all the details about a world cup bidding process but after 2022 Qatar world cup corruption allegations; its image has severely been downgraded. In fact, most of the regions including CONCACAF now want the governing body to let the world know all the facts about the bidding process of next two world cups along with clarifying its stand over the Arab event. According to President Jeffrey Webb, FIFA needs to understand no one can now believe over their age-old practice to organize a bidding process for the mega soccer event and if it wants to regain its lost pride by recent bribery allegations, Blatter specifically needs to convince all the continents that he is not going to let it go easily. The 49-year-old Webb, who also happens to be the Vice President of FIFA governing body, raised these hard hitting questions in the Soccerex Convention just held in Manchester. This is also noteworthy that Michael Garcia, the investigator entrusted by the governing body to dig the details around 2018 and 2022 bidding process, has submitted his report to adjudicatory judge Joachim Eckert and it’s a long 30 page odd detailed manual over the allegations recently leveled against some of the top officials in executive committee and how they were influenced by the Arab millionaires.
According to Webb, publicizing this report could be the first concrete step to raise the confidence level among all the soccer playing regions, otherwise, it would be assumed as whatever we have heard through media stories is correct and believable. High profile Vice President is also skeptical that FIFA would do anything commendable at this moment and if there is any big name in the report, there is no way Blatter can afford to make his name public. Still, Webb said, “Let’s wait and see what action happens. But I think the report should be made public, without a doubt. The best presentations for 2018 and 2022 were England and the Unites States. The new system gives an opportunity to all member associations to have a say. And I think that’s right. I also think it should be an open vote. We do this in CONCACAF for the sake of transparency.
“I do believe FIFA has some huge challenges in terms of image and perception. It has not done a great job in terms of communication over the years. There is a lot of work to do to build up trust. We’ve got to be consistent and could have gone further with the reforms.
“The landscape of global football has changed. We should be brave and bold enough to reform the executive committee, to rebalance it with proportional representation. Is it fair for Africa to have four or five members of the exco when UEFA has eight or nine when they both carry roughly the same membership?”