Alexandra Wrage grew up in North Delta and professes to have little knowledge of soccer, but she was "drafted" to a unique team of 11 that could change the way FIFA does business.
The lacrosse mom who enjoys sailing heartily cheered for the Vancouver Canucks from Annapolis, Maryland, last June. Wrage is the founder and president of Trace International, a non-profit association that aims to reduce bribery and increase transparency by advising 205 major multinational corporations and 4,500 small and medium enterprises.
"Bribery is corrosive and bad and at the root of so many international problems," Wrage said, noting how anti-corruption was the common denominator of protests in India and Arab countries last year.
The panel was convened by embattled FIFA president Sepp Blatter to answer calls to reform the world's biggest game amid a crescendo of corruption allegations and scandals. Swiss law professor Mark Pieth, the Organization of Economic and Cultural Development's anti-bribery head, appointed Wrage and Toronto lawyer James Klotz to the committee, which met last week for the first time. The committee's work could spur change in governance across the spectrum of sport.
"I don't pretend to be an expert on soccer at all," Wrage said. "The folks on IGC are real expertise on best practices of commercial transparency and compliance. If there are good, sane, robust recommendations that can come out of this committee, as we all hope, those can be applicable to other organizations."
British journalist Andrew Jennings, who has led the unearthing of FIFA's troubles, says the committee isn't fully independent because Pieth is paid by FIFA. Jennings believes it's a superficial move by Blatter supporters to keep the status quo. Jennings, Transparency International and Football Supporters Europe rejected Pieth's invitations to be involved. Jennings wants FIFA to publish meeting minutes and salaries and bonuses of top FIFA brass, among other things. FIFA reported a US$631 million profit on US$4.189 billion revenue for the 2007-10 cycle.
"I understand the skepticism, that's something the committee will have to overcome," Wrage said. "Declaring the committee, as some have, to be ineffective or inefficient before the first meeting seems to be to be pretty premature."
Volunteers victimized
A cautionary tale for volunteer-run amateur sports groups, so reliant on handouts from governments, parent and player fundraising and the kindness of local businesses.
Debbie Judd exploited a lack of oversight and used her dual position as chair and treasurer to embezzle $204,407 from the Richmond Youth Soccer Association (RYSA) between 1998 and 2003. The crime wasn't reported until 2004. Judd was sentenced to two years in jail on January 16. Provincial Court Judge Patrick Chen also ordered her to repay RYSA.
"The real victims were the thousands of young people who would have benefited greatly from the monies the accused stole," Chen said in court.
Name game
The BC Place Stadium guessing game continues. Telus was supposed to get naming rights for supplying telecommunications goods and services. Now we know the three external video screens, including the one at Terry Fox Plaza, are owned and operated by Telus. BC Pavilion Corp. chief executive Warren Buckley said negotiations are ongoing, but did not offer an update on the renovation, which was supposed to cost $563 million.
Meanwhile, Telus is no longer on the shingle for the Canadian Soccer Association, which announced Canon as a premier partner before the January 19 to 29 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying tournament.
The April 13 to 22 Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival could undergo major changes in 2013 should Whistler Blackcomb get a three-year, Winter X Games international "franchise" from ESPN. ESPN is expanding the brand and competitions. Whistler was the 2003 host.
Greens fees
University Golf Club general manager and executive professional Michael Mather pointed out an omission from the previous column, which mentioned significant 2012 sporting events in the region but not the August 20 to 26 CN Canadian Women's Open in Coquitlam. The national championship at Vancouver Golf Club with a US$2.25 million purse could have more top-10 LPGA Tour golfers than last summer's RBC Canadian Open had top 10 PGA names. •
