FIFA has a new, independent Ethics Committee. With 180 votes for and 15 against, the FIFA Congress, which met in Munich today, decided to create this committee as FIFA's third judicial body. Furthermore, article 60 of the FIFA Statutes has been amended in the final step towards making the Statutes compatible with the World Anti-Doping Code. FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter drew Congress proceedings to a close by formally announcing his intention to stand for re-election in 2007.
The Ethics Committee will work in accordance with a new Code of Ethics that the Executive Committee will develop before it is ratified. The previous Committee for Ethics and Fair Play will be renamed as the Committee for Fair Play and Social Responsibility, and as such, it will receive a modified list of duties and tasks (motion passed by 188 votes to 6).
The creation of the Ethics Committee is in response to challenges currently facing the world of football, such as illegal betting, manipulation, bribery and other illegal practices.
With 199 votes for and just 2 against, the delegates also approved an amendment to article 60 of the FIFA Statutes, which gives the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) the right to lodge appeals with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne against doping-related decisions that are deemed final after all procedures at all football bodies have been exhausted. FIFA and WADA officials met in recent weeks and also agreed on the application of sanctioning principles.
First-time offences will, in principle, be punished with a two-year suspension, and in the case of a repeat offence, with a lifetime ban. Conversely, WADA explicitly recognises FIFA's right to use individual case management. With this amendment to the Statutes and the amendments to the FIFA Disciplinary Code and FIFA Doping Control Regulations that have already been ratified by the Executive Committee, FIFA is now in line with the World Anti-Doping Code, which WADA has already confirmed in writing.
Of the 207 member associations in attendance, only the associations of the Cape Verde Islands and Guinea-Bissau were not to entitled to vote as they had not met the statutory requirements regarding minimum participation in FIFA competitions. Consequently, 205 associations were entitled to vote, leaving the simple majority at 103 votes, and the three-quarter majority required for amendments to the statutes at 154 votes.
Further decisions:
Article 13, paragraph 1 of the FIFA Statutes: An amendment to this provision was passed by 202 votes to 1, thereby giving FIFA the right to enforce CAS decisions on clubs.
Article 20 of the Regulations Governing the Application of the FIFA Statutes: This new article, after being passed by 201 votes to 1, will allow the FIFA Executive Committee to implement measures that are proposed by the Task Force "For the Good of the Game" and ratified by the FIFA Congress.
An addition to article 6 of the Statutes has laid the foundation for ensuring that from now on, futsal will be played all around the world according to the Laws of the Game issued by the FIFA Executive Committee.