FIFA brought crisis on itself according to former advisor

Arrogance within FIFA has led to the ongoing corruption scandal in Zurich, according to one former advisor who always anticipated the organisation's current troubles.

Both Fifa and Uefa presidents Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini are suspended in relation to a payment of two million Swiss Francs made to the Frenchman from Fifa in 2011.

Blatter and Platini deny any wrongdoing and have appealed the decision, while proceedings relating to acting Uefa chief Angel Maria Villar and German football legend Franz Beckenbauer are currently with Fifa's adjudicatory chamber.

It leaves Fifa's reputation damaged ahead of February's presidential elections, but former advisor Michael Hershman maintains such events were always a possibility.

Former Independent Governance Committee member Hershman told Omnisport: "It was the most difficult and frustrating assignment I've had.

"Most assignments I've had to help reform governance and compliance in institutions were successful because they were under some sort of threat.

"Fifa didn't have that threat until recently, they refused to adopt a number of key principles that are really standard practice like term limits, transparency, compensation.