(ATR) WPP chief Martin Sorrell has warned international federations to "adapt or die" amid the scandals tarnishing sports governing bodies.
Speaking at the SportAccord Convention on Wednesday, he remarked on the corruption and doping scandals that have shattered the public’s trust in FIFA and the IAAF.
He called it a "tsunami of daily non-stop scandals".
"The crisis currently engulfing international sport is the most serious challenge it has faced in my lifetime," he told delegates in his keynote address.
Without directly referencing the bribery and corruption that have battered FIFA and led to bans for Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini among others, he spoke of a "breakdown in confidence in sports leadership" and the "escalating doping scandals" impacting the IAAF.
Sorrell said sponsors were questioning their investment and suggested the public faith in sports leaders was at an all-time low.
The 24/7 scrutiny of global media "demands transparency and accountability… or get your house in order and start leading by example".
He said sport had much to learn from the corporate and political worlds who had been through similar trials.
"Now sporting governing bodies face exactly the same challenge: adapt or die," he told the room full of officials from international sports federations.
Sorrell urged sports leaders to take action to address their failures in governance and to improve best practices, saying they should "turn crisis into an opportunity".
He said it was a "watershed moment" for sports organisations to build their relationship with fans and promote the true values of sport, using the evolution of digital platforms to "take values to a new level".
The "trust deficit" in sports bodies was not easily tackled because of the increasing media interest in governance issues.
"If you think you can simply sweep any of these issues under the carpet you are wrong," he said. "If the people responsible for policing sport can’t be trusted who can be, that is the question the public is asking.
He said "ignoring the problem and hoping it will go away is not an option… reform is required".
Strong leadership, ethics, governance and communications, including a media strategy, were inextricably linked in any meaningful reforms, he added.
"In the current climate, the public has never been more skeptical of sport. Anything less than wholesale reform is just papering the cracks," Sorrell said
"Skeletons cannot be kept in the closet in this new age that we live in," he warned.
"Adapt or die… but also on a more positive note, adapt and thrive. The responsibility for regaining the narrative requires a proactive approach."
Referencing the IOC’s Agenda 2020 reforms, Sorrell concluded that sports governing bodies should ensure that transparency and accountability "must all be part of your organisations DNA… that is if you want to remain in existence for the long term."
Reported by Mark Bissonin Lausanne, Switzerland
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