FIFA, World Cup sponsors meet in private to discuss corruption crisis
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
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.''
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
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.