International Football
FIFA REINTRODUCE WORD “CORRUPTION” INTO CODE OF ETHICS
BY DAN PALMER
FIFA has reintroduced the word “corruption” into its updated Code of Ethics for 2019.
The word was controversially omitted last year at a time when football’s world governing body was trying to repair its image following a number of scandals.
Numerous FIFA officials were indicted by the United States Department of Justice and banned from any involvement in football for life by the Ethics Committee.
Corruption was removed from the Code of Ethics at the same time as the introduction of a defamation clause, with claims this barred officials from publicly speaking out against FIFA.
This led to criticism but Section 27 of the Code of Ethics is now entitled “Bribery and Corruption”.
Another addition is the word “misuse” in Section 28 about misappropriation of funds.
“The goal of these amendments is to avoid any misunderstanding about FIFA’s stance against unethical conducts in football, even though both breaches to which said terms refer were already subject to the relevant provisions,” FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura said in a letter to member associations.
A number of other changes have been made to the Code of Ethics, which FIFA described as “important updates”.
Public hearings for those accused will be guaranteed on request of the relevant party in a bid for greater transparency.
Harsher penalties for those found guilty of concurrent offences will also be possible with the Ethics Committee’s adjudicatory chamber now given the power to impose sanctions without a maximum limitation.
In the past punishments for concurrent offences could only be increased by up to one third for the most serious breach.
This meant several infringements with a maximum of a five year ban could only be risen to seven-and-a-half years.
A new minimum sanction of a 10-year ban has been introduced for those found guilty of sexual abuse and exploitation while the prosecution period for these offences will also be 10 years, bringing it in line with bribery and the misappropriation of funds.
Another major change will see FIFA provide legal aid for accused parties with insufficient means.
This will include covering costs such as counsel, travel, accommodation, witnesses and experts.
FIFA said they wanted to “bridge the gap” that exists between individuals of varying financial power.
A further amendment will see the Disciplinary Committee as the only body which tackles match-fixing, with the aim of freeing up the Ethics Committee to deal with solely ethical misconduct.
“FIFA has made some important updates to its Code of Ethics to increase the efficiency of the independent Ethics Committee, to protect the safety and wellbeing of individuals involved in football, and to ensure greater transparency of ethics proceedings,” the governing body said.
The full list of amendments can be found here and the 2019 Code of Ethics is here.
–insidethegames
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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