FIFA’s main sponsors Adidas, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Emirates have expressed their concern over the ongoing bribery claims at FIFA, the world football’s governing body. FIFA’s vice-president Jack Warner and the Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam were both suspended on Sunday after an inquiry was launched into accusations that they paid officials to garner votes for the latter in the presidential elections slated to be held on June 1.

On Wedensday, FIFA President Sepp Blatter was re- elected to a fourth term as head of soccer’s governing body and immediately came under new pressure for changes to prevent corruption at the World Cup organizer.

Blatter, a FIFA official since 1976, got support on 186 of the 203 ballots cast, or 92 percent, with five national associations not voting during the congress in Zurich. Blatter overcame an attempt by England’s Football Association to delay the election because of the corruption probes.

Blatter will try to restore the reputation of the body that controls the most-watched sports tournament, the World Cup, a quadrennial competition that brings in more than $4 billion. The only other candidate was Bin Hammam.

Controversy has centred on the successful Qatari bid for the 2022 World Cup which was awarded to the desert kingdom eariler this year. Blatter has suggested that future World Cup bids could be decided by a vote of its 208 member congress and has hinted at changes to the organisation’s corporate governance.

Corporate sponsors, which generate a large part of FIFA’s annual income, which stood at $1.3 billion last year, are understood to be keen to see a significant shake-up in the way FIFA is organised to improve transparency and disclosure. They also worry about its impact on the sport.

A spokesman for Adidas told Reuters earlier in the week, “The negative tonality of the public debate surrounding FIFA is neither good for football nor for FIFA and its partners.”
 
The spokesman said Adidas plans to continue its long partnership with FIFA, which stretches back more than 30 years. Since 1970, Adidas has provided the official match ball for World Cup matches and is slated to be an official licensee and supplier for the World Cup in 2014.

A Coca-Cola spokesman Petro Kacur in an email to Reuters stated, “The current allegations being raised are distressing and bad for the sport,” “We have every expectation that FIFA will resolve this situation in an expedient and thorough manner,” Kacur added.

A spokesman for Visa, worth £100m to the organisation, said: �€�The current situation is clearly not good for the game.�€�

Continental Tyres said: �€�We cannot approve of anything that negatively affects the reputation of professional soccer.�€�

Emirates communications chief Boutros Boutros said: �€�We hope that these issues will be resolved as soon as possible.�€�

Castrol warned: �€�We expect Fifa to resolve these issues in a right and proper manner.�€�

A statement from McDonald�€�s added: �€�We remain focused on the spirit of the football tournament itself.�€�