New Zealand above the fray of FIFA corruption scandal

New Zealand must use its untarnished reputation in sport to help root out corrupt practices in International Football says Transparency International's New Zealand chair Suzanne Snively.

As the FIFA under 20 World Cup draws to a close it won't escape notice that as bribery and corruption allegations swirl around the awarding of hosting rights to Russia and Qatar, New Zealand's reputation remains unchallenged.

As one of only three countries in the world to enact anti match fixing legislation, and as one of the top two countries in the world with regards to corruption free practices in the public sector, New Zealand must use its position to campaign for the elimination of corruption in sport as in all other areas of life including commerce and governance.

Parent body Transparency International has already called for the mobilization of wider audiences in the fight against corruption through connecting with the sports community in the areas of:

Improving governance of sports organisations

Strengthening the integrity of the bidding, awarding and hosting of major sporting events

Preventing and combatting match-fixing

Ms Snively says the New Zealand chapter endorses that call and says New Zealand authorities must use their status to spear head any efforts. Having already shown their independence in voting against the reinstatement of
disgraced FIFA head Sepp Blatter, New Zealand is perfectly positioned to ensure the message that corruption and bribery have no place in sport or any other endeavor is carried forward.

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