The standards demanded of FIFA must also be met across football.
By Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros
Co-Founder & Global CEO, SIGA
Are those calling for governance reform and independent scrutiny of FIFA prepared to lead by example?
Their demand is legitimate. FIFA has acknowledged mistakes in how the withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal was handled and communicated. It must answer the questions raised about how it is governed and how it operates. The FIFA Council’s decision on 15 October to establish a working group does not, by itself, amount to independent scrutiny. To earn public trust, the evidence must be examined independently and any weaknesses found must be addressed.
The same test applies to everyone else in the game.
THE AUTHORITY OF EXAMPLE
Those asking FIFA to account for its governance must be prepared to account for their own. Their members deserve the same clarity about how decisions are made, how money is used and how their interests are represented. They deserve evidence that the rules are respected in practice. This applies equally to confederations, national associations, leagues, clubs and players’ unions.
FIFA remains answerable for its governance, whatever others choose to do. Those who accept the scrutiny they ask of others give their demand the authority of example.
THE COURAGE TO BE SCRUTINISED
Leaders must have the confidence to let their organisations be assessed by people whose conclusions they cannot control. Independent scrutiny may confirm sound governance or identify weaknesses. Whatever the outcome, leaders must be prepared to face the findings and take responsibility for what follows.
Finding a weakness need not discredit an institution. Addressing it openly, and having the improvement independently verified, gives its members a reason to trust the leadership’s commitment to reform.
European Aquatics, representing 52 national federations, adopted the SIGA Universal Standards on Good Governance in Sport without hesitation. In an August interview, its President, António Silva, described the findings of its initial independent Gap Analysis as “more challenging than I had anticipated”.
It used those findings to guide reforms, including changes to its constitution, and had its progress assessed through SIRVS — the SIGA Independent Rating and Verification System. Its July 2026 annual review again confirmed Bronze certification for Good Governance in Sport. Football can make the same choice.
THE WORLD IS WATCHING
The eyes of the world are on the whole football community. Sponsors, broadcasters and commercial partners may choose not to comment publicly, but they have every reason to pay attention and draw their own conclusions. Their reputations are on the line, alongside the return on their investment. They have consumers, audiences and shareholders to answer to. Their silence does not remove their responsibility to ask for evidence of good governance.
Football’s leaders can give members, supporters and commercial partners a clear basis on which to judge their governance: common standards and independent verification that they are met.
Sport Integrity Action Month, this November, is an opportunity to make that commitment in public. Its success must be judged by the progress that can be demonstrated after November.
SIGA stands ready to work with every organisation prepared to take that step.
I therefore address this invitation, directly and in public, to the President of FIFA and the leaders of confederations, national associations, leagues, clubs and players’ unions: will you lead your organisations in adopting and implementing the SIGA Universal Standards on Good Governance in Sport and undergoing independent assessment through SIRVS?
By 30 November, I invite these leaders to announce the first step their organisations will take towards independent assessment.
The standards we demand of others must be standards we can prove we meet ourselves.
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ABOUT SIGA
SIGA is the world’s leading organisation for Sport Integrity. We are creating a whole new landscape for the sports industry by delivering independent global rating and certification for world Sport to ensure it is governed and operates under the highest integrity standards: The SIGA Universal Standards.
Funded by our Members, SIGA is a non for profit global independent organisation with one aim: To ensure the sport industry is governed under the highest integrity standards so that the values of sport are protected.
SIGA is the only organisation to bring together sport, governments, academia, international organisations, sponsors, business, rights holders, NGOs and professional services companies, from every region in the world, around a common cause of fostering greater integrity throughout sport.
SIGA is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, as a non for-profit association, and comprises of the following continental subsidiaries: SIGA AMERICA, SIGA ASIA, SIGA EUROPE and SIGA LATIN AMERICA.
For more information on SIGA, including its vision, mission and reform agenda, please refer to the website: www.siga-sport.com and FAQs.
To contact SIGA, please email: comms@siga-sport.com.
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