FIFA Task Force Football 2014 members announced

By newdesignworld.com

Following a proposal made by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, the FIFA Task Force Football 2014 was approved by the Executive Committee on 29 October 2010. The 22-member think tank comprises representatives from FIFA’s Football, Technical and Development, Medical and Referees Committees and other football experts. Their brief is to carry out an in-depth analysis of the modern game with a view to making proposals designed to improve it at every level.

Chaired by Franz Beckenbauer, the Task Force will work on areas such as the Laws of the Game, refereeing, competition regulations, women’s football, medical matters and fair play. FIFA.com introduces you to its 22 members.

Franz Beckenbauer (Chairman): One of the most successful players in the history of the game, the Bayern Munich and West Germany centre-half is the only man along with Brazil’s Mario Zagallo to have won the FIFA World Cup™ as both a player and a coach. Nicknamed The Kaiser during his playing days, Beckenbauer was also the President of the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Local Organising Committee.

Carlos Alarcon Rios: Hailing from Paraguay, Mr Alarcon is the President of the CONMEBOL Referees Committee and is one of the most prominent figures in refereeing in Latin America. He is also a member of the FIFA Referees Committee.

Demetrio Albertini: An utterly dependable midfielder in his playing days, Albertini spent 12 seasons at AC Milan, making 415 appearances for the club to go with the 79 he made for his country. The 39-year-old retired in December 2005 but maintained his links with the game by becoming a vice-president of the Italian Football Association.

Massimo Busacca: The 42-year-old Swiss is regarded as one of the finest referees in the world. He took charge of four games at the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cup finals and speaks five languages in all (Italian, English, French, Spanish and German).

Kalusha Bwalya: The former Zambia international top-scored at the 1996 CAF African Cup of Nations and has held many positions in the game. After taking on the job of national team coach following his retirement, he then became President of the Zambian Football Association and now sits on the CAF Executive Committee.

Cafu: Born Marcos Evangelista de Moraes, Cafu is one of the finest right-backs in the history of the game. Now 40, he won 142 caps for Brazil and appeared in four FIFA World Cup finals, collecting a winner’s medal in two of them (1994 and 2002), the second time as captain.

Sir Bobby Charlton: Regarded as one of the finest English players of all time, Charlton formed part of a fabled trio at Manchester United with Denis Law and George Best and played a central part in England’s FIFA World Cup triumph on home soil in 1966. He also sits on FIFA’s Football Committee.

Ivan Curkovic: The President of Partizan Belgrade and the President of Serbia’s National Olympic Committee until February 2009, this ex-goalkeeper played 19 times for the former Yugoslavia and made 383 appearances for Saint-Etienne. He also sits on FIFA’s Stadium and Security Committee.

Jiri Dvorak: FIFA’s Chief Medical Officer and the Director of its Medical Assessment and Research Centre (F-MARC), Professor Dvorak has been working with world football’s governing body since 1994 and is also a member of IOC and WADA committees.

Sunil Gulati: A professor of Economics at the University of Columbia, New York, Mr Gulati is the President of US Soccer, the USA’s national association, and also sits on FIFA’s Strategic Committee.

Fernando Hierro: One of the finest central defenders of his time, the Spaniard spent 14 seasons at Real Madrid, winning three UEFA Champions League titles with them. He is currently Technical Director with the Spanish national team.

Charmaine Hooper: A legend in her native Canada, Hooper won 131 caps with the Maple Leafs, scoring 71 goals, and appeared in the FIFA Women’s World Cup three times. She is now a member of FIFA’s Football Committee.

Alex Horne: Horne was appointed English Football Association’s Finance Director in 2003 and was made its General Secretary in May last year. He was also the Managing Director of Wembley Stadium from December 2006 to July 2008.

Christian Karembeu: Born in New Caledonia, and a world champion with France in 1998 and a European champion two years later, Karembeu was a versatile midfielder before retiring to become FIFA Ambassador for Oceania and a member of FIFA’s Football Committee.

Tracy Lu: Hailing from China, Lu is a member of FIFA’s Committee for Women's Football and the FIFA Women's World Cup, and began her career as an interpreter with the Chinese Football Association, where she has climbed up through the ranks.

Ioan Lupescu: The former attacking midfielder is one of the best-known and most successful players in his Romania’s history. Lupescu appeared at two FIFA World Cup finals and at two UEFA EURO tournaments in the 1990s and represented his country on 72 occasions, scoring six goals in the process. He has formed part of FIFA’s Technical Study Group many times.

Peter Mikkelsen: Now 61, the Dane became an international referee after ending his playing career, officiating in two matches at Italy 1990 and three at USA 1994. He now sits on FIFA’s Referees Committee.

Dejan Savicevic: An old-style left winger, the Montenegrin was a skilled dribbler with an eye for goal. The scorer of 29 goals in 56 games for the former Yugoslavia, Savicevic also enjoyed great success with AC Milan. Now the President of the Montenegrin Football Association, he is also a member of FIFA’s Football Committee.

Marina Sbardella: This Italian TV journalist has hosted several sports programmes on TG3, TMC and La7, and sits on the Organising Committee for the FIFA U-17 and U-20 Women’s World Cups. She is also a member of the coaching staff for the Italian national women’s team.

Kohzo Tashima: Formerly the Technical Director of the Japanese Football Association and now its General Secretary, Mr Tashima played an active part in the preparations for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Japan/Korea. He is also a vice-president of the Asian Football Confederation.

Theo van Seggelen: The General Secretary of FIFPro, the worldwide players’ union, which represents some 55,000 players, Mr Van Seggelen also sits on FIFA’s Strategic Committee.