Despite this critical importance, the role of civil society in strengthening accountability in sport has been limited.

The case was also published in the Global Corruption Report 2001.

Among the many measures designed to draw attention to the problems of Kenyan football, TI-Kenya participated in launch of the ‘Transparency Cup’, a tournament that was held in 2002 and 2004 and seeks to promote ethical values and fair play. Bob Munro, president of the Kenyan football club Mathare Youth Sports Association, was the Cup’s founding figure and continues to persevere on the issue of corruption in soccer.

Despite all efforts and three years of pleas to FIFA to intervene, nothing happened until spring 2004. When KFF officials failed to hold proper elections before their term expired, the national federation was left with a leadership vacuum. The Kenyan sports minister appointed the so-called Stakeholders Transitional Committee (STC) to review the KFF constitution and to conduct elections.

TI-Kenya helped launch a series of public forums on the future of Kenyan football and the report, “For the Good of the Game: Achieving Good Governance, Financial Transparency and Stakeholder Accountability for Saving and Improving Kenyan Football”. The report outlined the financial, constitutional, and governance challenges faced by the KFF and presented solutions for a way forward.

When, after years of being petitioned, FIFA finally responded, it ironically punished the wrong side. The intervention of the sports ministry, a government body, constituted a technical violation of FIFA statutes and led FIFA to suspend the Kenyan national football team from all international matches, including qualifying matches for the 2006 World Cup. Within two months, however, in August of 2004, the crisis in Kenyan football was resolved. Under FIFA leadership, a transitional committee for restoring the KFF was put in place, ensuring the continuity of Kenyan football.