SFA urge FIFA to make a fundamental change in governance!

Without any sign of embarassment or irony the SFA have urged FIFA to implement a ‘fundamental change in governance’!

The announcement followed news news that Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini had been banned from football for eight years.

Last night a Hampden announcement stated: “The Scottish FA notes the sanctions imposed on Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini by the adjudicatory chamber of FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee.

“Given that grounds of appeal remain open to both individuals, it would be inappropriate to comment any further than to say today’s decision only reinforces the need for a fundamental change in governance at a global level in order to rebuild the trust and integrity of football.”

Fortunately the SFA refrained from putting forward any suggestion that FIFA follows their own lead with the new year seeing the SFA in the dock as Mike Ashley seeks a judicial review of why Dave King was passed as fit and proper to be a football club director.

While Platini and Blatter have a lengthy charge sheet the lack of governance from Hampden is just as extensive with a number of issues being shrouded in secrecy.

Top of the list for now is the question of Mr King who was a director of Rangers as the club went into administration followed by liquidation as well as being found guilty of 41 tax related crimes in South Africa that carried jail terms.

Explaining that decision the SFA stated: “The scale of this due diligence is unprecedented but befitting the complexities of the consideration placed before the Board. During this exercise both Mr King and the club were fully co-operative and responded to all questions put to them by the Scottish FA.

“On the basis of this advice presented to it, and having considered all submissions received from Mr King and the club in respect of this matter, the Scottish FA Board granted an approval, conditional upon further submissions from Mr King in respect of documented agreements with the appropriate authorities in South Africa.

“The Scottish FA can confirm it has now received this supplementary documentation in full and the Board is satisfied Mr King is Fit and Proper in terms of Article 10.2.”

At the Court of Session in Edinburgh the SFA will have the opportunity to show the extent of their due dilligence into that decision.

Paul Murray, who was a director of Rangers within a year of administration, was also passed as fit and proper by the SFA.

While producing mission statements about transparency and accountability the SFA appear to pay lip service appears to those features.

Over the last few years numerous decisions have been made that appear to fly in the face of logic with the get out appearing to be ‘unless at the discretion of the SFA’.

High among the decisions that appear to fly in the face of logic were the appointment of Campbell Ogilvie as president and the return of Andrew Dickson to the Football Regulatory Advisory Group. Both men failed to supply the SFA and SPL with full contract details of players from Rangers (IL).

In another puzzling move the SFA have refused to disclose to a group of 100 Celtic shareholders details of why Rangers (IL) were given a licence for European football in 2011 while they had an overdue £6m tax bill. No sanction was ever applied for the rule breaches committed during the Wee Tax Case relating to payments made to Tore Andre Flo and Ronald de Boer.