Football needs 'deep reform' claims report into finances

A new report into transparency in football has revealed that over 80 percent over football associations have no financial records publicly available.

The report - by pressure group Transparency International (TI) - also found that of the 209 associations, 85 percent do not publish any accounts at all.

TI spokesman Max Heywood believes the figures highlight the need for "deep reform" in football.

He said: "It isn't just a problem at the headquarters of FIFA - the problem has to be addressed at all levels including at the national level because we have massive amount of money flowing to these football associations from FIFA.

"Only 50 associations have code of conduct - and these findings can help us to understand what's happening at the moment with the scandals and all the different allegations and findings coming out in recent months. 

"When you look at the lack of transparency across of the board it's really not that surprising when you have a lack of public accounting, lack of implementation or any type of code of ethics in many cases.

"It really becomes quite understandable, the pieces start to fit together."

Heywood highlighted the fact that England and Republic of Ireland had published their accounts - but was warned only 14 football associations met their minimum standard.

"This was really the basic standard we are looking for, a minimum standard," he added. "The first step would be is to publish some basic governance documents for instance Wales, I've just been looking at the data, they don't publish financial accounts so this is a quite worrying development. 

"But it has to be said many other major FAs - including Germany, Brazil and Qatar for example, do not publish this type of information either. 

"It's amazing that just last year, FIFA demanded audited accounts and they aren't even public yet - so there is a long way to go and we think only central pressure from FIFA is going to make the change to the system as a whole."