FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced a new code of ethics in the wake of a series of kickback scandals. Blatter has had to defend his stance on bribery after a Swiss court revealed that predecessor Joao Havelange had accepted large payoffs. One proviso stipulates that there will no longer be a time limitation for the prosecution of bribery and corruption cases.

Court documents revealed that Havelange, who served for 24 years as FIFA president  before being replaced by Blatter in 1998, was paid at least $1.5 million from Swiss-based marketing partner ISL, which collapsed in 2001.

Among the changes implemented is the appointment of former U.S. attorney Michael J. Garcia to lead the investigatory chamber. Garcia headed the federal investigation into former governor of New York Eliot Spitzer's involvement in a high-priced call-girl scandal in 2008. Germany's Hans-Joachim Eckert will head the adjudicatory chamber of the new Ethics Committee.