FIFA has been told by sponsor Coca-Cola to appoint an independent commission to lead a reform process aimed at cleaning up world soccer's scandal-ridden governing body.
In the most significant intervention by a company that helps to bankroll the global sport, the soft drinks giant said on Friday that it formally asked FIFA to allow "one or more eminent, impartial leaders" to explore how the world soccer body can regain its credibility and the trust of fans.
After Coca-Cola's demand was revealed, another sponsor - McDonald's - publicly rebuked FIFA for having "internal controls and compliance culture" inconsistent with the fast-food chain's own standards.
FIFA is reeling from the indictment of 14 people - including two now-ousted vice presidents who were arrested in Zurich - in an American investigation into alleged racketeering, bribery and money laundering in soccer.
The indictments were revealed in May, just before Sepp Blatter was re-elected for a fifth term as FIFA president, but mounting pressure led to him announcing plans to resign four days later. FIFA's executive committee will meet on Monday to decide an election date, which is likely to be early 2016, and discuss potential reforms.
Coca-Cola, which has sponsored FIFA since 1974, confirmed to The Associated Press that it "asked FIFA to support an independent, third-party commission overseen by one or more eminent, impartial leaders to manage the efforts necessary to help reform FIFA's governance and its human rights requirement".
McDonald's - a FIFA sponsor since the 1994 World Cup - told the AP that urgent "deep reform" is required while backing the commission proposed by Coca-Cola.
"Recent allegations and indictments have severely tarnished FIFA in a way that strikes at the very heart of our sponsorship," McDonald's said.
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