VARFÖR ÄR FIFA FORTFARANDE KORRUPT? En kvalitativ studie av varför reformer misslyckas i internationella organisationer

Abstract

Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is the central international organisation of football. The organisation has for a long time been subjected to corruption and despite attempts at reform following the corruption scandal in 2015, corruption still affects FIFA. FIFA has received backlash from several human rights organisations, critiquing their governance and calling out their fundamental failure to govern the organisations in line with transparency and fairness. Studies find that FIFA is permeated by the same corrupt practices as before reformation. Other studies have found how reforms often face difficulties in the implementation process, with explanations focusing on culture, insufficient collective action and abuse of power. This thesis aims to explore why reforms in international organisations fail by studying the case of FIFAs reformation 2016. I hypothesize that the reforms have failed as a consequence of the organisation's institutionalised corruption. The case of FIFA reflects a bigger issue in international politics, the difficulties of governing an international organisation. Therefore this essay contributes to broadening the study field of why reforms fail in international organisations. I have chosen to analyse this issue through a qualitative essay, since I find it necessary to identify and analyse key events, discourses and actions central to FIFAs corruption in order to understand the organisation's failed reform. Results indicate that FIFAs persistent corruption and inability to reform cannot be understood as a failure of individual reforms, but as a result of several interacting structural factors.