The election of Gianni Infantino as new FIFA president may getting the headlines on Friday, but just as significant was FIFA's Extraordinary Congress voting for a sweeping package of reforms. Among those who voted in favor of the package was MLS Commissioner Don Garber, a representative for the US delegation, who praised the new policies adopted by soccer's world governing body.
"There's a real sense of awareness of what the issues were. I don't think the organization was shying away from their challenges," Garber, told FOX Sports on Friday from FIFA's meeting. "There's a focus with those reforms on transparency, on inclusion, on a real respect for democracy in all of the various proposals that were passed. So, we're obviously very supportive of the reform package and proud to have voted for it."
Those reforms were designed to eliminate the sources of corruption that have dogged FIFA for years and ultimately led to the US Department of Justice indicting several of FIFA's top leadership last May. American authorities followed up in December with more arrests.
Some of the reform provisions voted on and approved by FIFA overnight Friday include:
- Salary disclosures for the FIFA president, all FIFA council members, the secretary general and chairpersons of independent standing and judicial committees;
- Presidential term limits of three terms and four years each term (Sepp Blatter had served as president since 1998 up until he was forced out last year);
- Background checks for all candidates for the FIFA Congress performed by an independent FIFA Review Committee;
- Requirements to get more women involved in the organization, including a minimum of one female representative elected as a council member per confederation.
Yet 22 of the 209 nations voted against the package, which Garber admitted was a surprise.
"I was shocked, frankly," he said. "I can't imagine how anybody who is involved with this sport would not be supportive of the reforms that the organization was putting in place to try to address the issues that the management, the leadership, and the vast majority of the national associations were recognizing as big challenges. That's what happens when you have hundreds and hundreds of people from disparate backgrounds."
As FIFA's leadership convened on Zurich for Friday's historic vote reform vote and the election, which led to Gianni Infantino being elected as new president – both sparked largely by the investigations from the US Department of Justice – the American delegation could've perhaps felt unwelcome. But Garber said it wasn't the case.
"We met with all the five candidates [Thursday] night and all of them were very supportive what our country was doing to try to address the massive issues that were going on at FIFA," Garber said. "I feel proud with Sunil Gulati, the president of our federation, and board members to hear that.
"You do see some sort of glances from folks as you're walking around the hotel," he added, "but again, I think our country and our law enforcement officials did a great job putting the impetus behind many of the things that FIFA has done to reform itself."
