FIFA Legal Portal: What is it and what are the advantages of its implementation?
The new streamlined portal went live on 1st May and is another of the ingenious initiatives launched by FIFA in the past few years
Over the past 2 years, FIFA has undergone a drastic change in its approach towards implementing access to information in football. From starting its own streaming service called FIFA+ with exclusive football content to aiming to make the World Cup once every 2 years, there is an immense amount of initiative taken on their part. The most recent however is the implementation of the FIFA Legal Portal, which aims to reduce the work and burden associated with legal proceedings under FIFA.
What is the core aim of the Portal?
The sole function of the portal is to target two major areas that hamper legal proceedings: the backlog in cases and delayed procedural timing of individual matters. As per the press release on the FIFA website the aim is also "to lodge a claim with the relevant FIFA decision-making or judicial body and gradually replace the current system of communication by email."
As of now, FIFA has an email communication system for dispute resolution which is extremely tedious and tends to cause problems for parties involved in disputes. The new portal will be a one-stop shop for lodging claims, following up, receiving information relevant to the claim, making appeals and accessing other legal information necessary in a case.
How will it help?
The creation of the single-mode of communication will help ensure that FIFA and parties to a legal proceeding are in constant touch with each other at all times. This will maintain transparency, accountability and ensure all relevant and official communication made in light of a certain proceeding is accessible. It eases the entire process of access to justice by simply streamlining critical information.
The portal will also bring worldwide FIFA disciplinary proceedings before the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee, Football Tribunal and FIFA Ethics Committee under one roof. This in itself is a major boost and convenient initiative for countless individuals who have pending matters before multiple forums.