ZURICH: Domenico Scala, chairman of FIFA’s audit and compliance committee, has emerged as early favourite to lead the revived reform task force writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

The Swiss businessman was brought in under the previous reforms, led by Basel governance guru Mark Pieth, and handed the freedom to roam far and wide across FIFA’s business.

He has always expressed openly his views of the need for the world federation to impose term limits and pay transparency not only for its own sake but to demonstrate a will for change after all the scandals which have reached a nadir with the latest United States and Swiss investigations.

Reports from Zurich have suggested that heads of some of FIFA’s six confederations have proposed Scala because of the need for speedy action.

Outgoing president Sepp Blatter said on Monday that he wanted the ‘independent personality’ and his new task force to probide a substantive report back to the executive committee in September.

Kofi Annan, former secretary-general of the United Nations, has been suggested as an ideal figure with status and true independence but the problem is one of time. Blatter wants proposals on the table by net February 26 when his successor is due to be elected.

Scala has sought to stay clear of the nightmare web of FIFA politics but he could not avoid being targeted by critics of the organisation were he to take up the task force chairmanship.

His appearance at Blatter’s side when the 79-year-old Swiss announced his impending departure back early last month means FIFA’s critics would deem him as lacking the essentil distance to fulfil an independent role.

Scala would then have fallen into his own trap.

** Carlos Chavez, president of the Bolivian federation and treasurer of the South American confederation (CONMEBOL), has again been remanded in jail on corruption charges which he denies.