Bermuda’s sporting organisations often come in for a lot of criticism, much of it justified. That does not negate the enormous amount of voluntary time that people put into sports organisations, or the fact Bermuda often punches well above its weight in international sports.But there are times when organisations fall short, and when that’s the case, they need to be held accountable.That makes it even better when an organisation emphatically does the right thing, as was the case when the Bermuda Football Association, according to the report by world football’s governing body, not only turned down what appears to have been a blatant bribe, but turned in the people allegedly responsible.This act of whistleblowing deserves praise, especially in the world of international football, which has been criticised for alleged corruption and has at times shown a marked reluctance to clean up its own house.So BFA officials David Sabir and Gregory Grimes, who were present at the meeting where the money was allegedly offered, and Larry Mussenden, the president of the BFA, who emphatically instructed them to turn it down and reported the case, deserve credit.It is to be hoped that in doing so, they are also helping to set FIFA, the governing body, on a cleaner course than has been the case in the past. If little Bermuda can do that, then it will have truly punched above its weight.Care needs to be taken not to overemphasise the importance of sport in life. But football, as the world’s most popular and wealthiest sport, does have a role to play and a responsibility as well.At a time when Bermuda and many other countries around the world are seeing young men in particular being alienated from society and turning to gangs and crime, football offers a different path. It can teach teamwork and responsibility, and why playing by the rules is important for the overall good.But that cannot happen if the sport’s administrators are perceived as being poor role models who do not uphold the standards they set for others. It is to be hoped that Bermuda and the other Caribbean countries that reported the alleged bribes do not rest now. They need to ensure that all of football is cleaned up.