FIFA reform lies in its own oasis of integrity
Soccer fans might be feeling a bit down these days. The world鈥檚 most popular sport now has two big scandals hanging over it.
The first is a recent report about large-scale match-fixing in world soccer by gambling syndicates, which had led one former security chief of FIFA, international soccer鈥檚 governing body, to say the game 鈥渋s the most corrupted sport in the world today.鈥�
Then in May came the arrests of nine FIFA officials on charges of kickbacks and bribery in the selection of World Cup venues. The head of FIFA, Sepp Blatter, was forced to resign, leaving the institution floundering and in search of ways to reform. More indictments at FIFA are promised by the United States Justice Department.
Can the purity of the 鈥渂eautiful game鈥� ever be restored?
Fans need not look too far for an answer. In one part of FIFA 鈥� women鈥檚 soccer (or football) 鈥� the sport鈥檚 purity was never lost and, in fact, might help the men鈥檚 side of FIFA recover its integrity.
On June 5, the Women鈥檚 World Cup began in the host country of Canada with the popularity of women鈥檚 soccer at a new high. Eight more countries are playing in this year鈥檚 World Cup, up from 16 at the 2011 tournament in Germany. The opening match between Canada and China in Edmonton, Alberta, was sold out with 50,000 fans. When Canada played Nigeria in an opening match 20 years ago, only 250 people showed up.
鈥淲omen鈥檚 football is a very pure form of football,鈥� says Victor Montagliani, president of the Canadian Soccer Association. 鈥淚 think women鈥檚 football can shine some light on the dark clouds that are hanging over the game.鈥�
Part of the reform of FIFA should entail ending the sexism against women鈥檚 soccer within the male-dominated leadership of FIFA鈥檚 executive committee. Brazil鈥檚 superstar female soccer player Marta even suggests the next president of FIFA be a woman. (The outgoing president once suggested women players wear 鈥渢ighter shorts鈥� to attract more viewers.)
One sign of the rising popularity of women鈥檚 soccer: A new edition of a bestselling video game, EA Sports FIFA 16, will allow players to choose among a dozen women鈥檚 national teams.
By elevating women鈥檚 soccer to the level of men鈥檚, in such aspects as promotion money, FIFA can help regain its reputation and to refocus on spreading the sport in more countries 鈥� and to more girls.聽
