FIFA, World Cup sponsors meet in private to discuss corruption crisis
ZURICH - FIFA has met with some World Cup sponsors in a meeting they demanded after a corruption crisis rocked football's governing body. Little detail was revealed after the closed-door session shrouded in secrecy at FIFA headquarters.
In a terse statement, FIFA says it ''reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, reform, and collaboration with its valued partners.'' FIFA adds: ''No further comment will be made on the internal discussions between the parties.''
Officials from World Cup sponsors Adidas, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, McDonald's and Visa attended, FIFA says. Those sponsors say in a joint statement that they ''reiterated our expectations for robust reform, and we will continue to engage with FIFA.''
Gazprom and Hyundai were absent with no reason given. Two sponsor representatives will join a FIFA-appointed reforms committee which first meets Sept. 2-3.
