Sports of The Times: Forget President: The More Important FIFA Vote Is on Reforms

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FIFA will hold two important elections on Friday at its latest all-expenses-paid gathering in Zurich. Most of the attention will be on the second vote, to pick the organization’s new president. Fans, though, should pay closer attention to the first one.

In that election, most likely before the federations break for what will undoubtedly be a delicious free lunch, the 207 eligible members of FIFA will vote on a package of proposed reforms that would modernize the organization and, in theory, set the foundation for a transparent, trustworthy global governing body of soccer.

Be hopeful if you want. Hopeful because someone other than Sepp Blatter will be the FIFA president. Hopeful that the entire organization is on the cusp of monumental changes, from the inside out, and will alter the way it does business.

Forgive me if I need some time before buying in.

Still, Moya Dodd, a member of FIFA’s executive committee, is calling the reform issue the most important vote in FIFA’s history, much more critical than the vote for president, which, naturally, has been brighter and…