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FIFA to Release Redacted Report on Corruption in World Cup Bidding FIFA to Release Redacted Report on Corruption in World Cup Bidding
(about 4 hours later)
FIFA said on Friday that it would release a redacted version of the full report compiled by Michael J. Garcia, the former chief investigator for the governing body’s ethics committee, who spent more than a year digging into allegations of corruption in the World Cup bidding process. FIFA said on Friday that it would release a redacted version of the full report compiled by Michael J. Garcia, the former chief investigator for the governing body of soccer’s ethics committee, who spent more than a year digging into allegations of corruption in the World Cup bidding process.
Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA, announced the decision at a news conference in Morocco, at which he also said that the 2018 World Cup would take place in Russia as planned, and that the 2022 event would remain in Qatar, because there were no legal grounds for a revote. Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA, announced the decision at a news conference in Morocco, at which he also said that the 2018 World Cup would take place in Russia as planned and that the 2022 event would remain in Qatar because there were no legal grounds for a revote.
Blatter had been one of the primary figures to oppose the release of the report. But, speaking on Friday after a meeting of FIFA’s executive committee, he said, “We have always been determined that the truth should be known.” “We will not revisit the 2018 and 2022 vote,” he said of the 2010 balloting. Nearly half of the 22 voters involved in that vote left FIFA in subsequent years, many of them under suspicion of corruption. “It would really need an earthquake, extremely important new elements, to go back on this World Cup in Qatar.”
The report will be redacted to protect certain measures of privacy and will not be released until it can be ensured that the investigations into some of the individuals found to have committed ethics violations are closed.The report will be redacted to protect certain measures of privacy and will not be released until it can be ensured that the investigations into some of the individuals found to have committed ethics violations are closed.
Garcia resigned from his position on Wednesday after conflicts with Hans-Joachim Eckert, the German judge who was his judiciary counterpart on the ethics committee. There has been speculation that Blatter has attempted to keep details of Garcia’s report from becoming public until after several key dates next year.
■ Nominations are due in January for anyone hoping to oppose Blatter in the next election for FIFA’s presidency.
■ In March, the executive committee is set to vote on when the Qatar World Cup will be held (a November-December schedule is most likely).
■ The election for FIFA’s presidency is scheduled for May, with Blatter holding a virtual lock on his fifth four-year term.
If there is anything connecting Blatter to inappropriate behavior contained in the Garcia report, it will have little consequence if the report is not seen until after Blatter has won another term.
Michel Platini, the head of UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, and an outspoken opponent of Blatter’s on a number of issues, called for a quick release of the report, saying: “I have always battled for transparency, and this is a step in the right direction. Let us hope that the report can now be published as quickly as possible. The credibility of FIFA depends on it.”
Garcia resigned from his position Wednesday after conflicts with Hans-Joachim Eckert, the German judge who was his judiciary counterpart on the ethics committee. He cited a lack of leadership from FIFA in matters of good governance and reform, which was widely seen as a criticism of Blatter.
The divide stemmed, in large part, from Garcia’s frustration over Eckert’s summary of the ethics report, which was initially the only aspect of the investigation that was required to be made public. In his summary, Eckert said the violations that Garcia had found were small in scope, and he recommended that the matter be closed.The divide stemmed, in large part, from Garcia’s frustration over Eckert’s summary of the ethics report, which was initially the only aspect of the investigation that was required to be made public. In his summary, Eckert said the violations that Garcia had found were small in scope, and he recommended that the matter be closed.
Garcia, a former federal prosecutor, disagreed with that assessment of his work and resigned after losing an appeal he had filed with FIFA’s appeals committee. Garcia, who traveled the world investigating despite not having any subpoena power, disagreed with that assessment of his work. After losing an appeal to FIFA’s appeals committee, he resigned. The cases he opened against individuals — including three current executive committee members as well as the former German star player Franz Beckenbauer — will continue. Blatter said that Cornel Borbely, Garcia’s former deputy, would fill Garcia’s role on an interim basis and added that the work done by Garcia was important.
Blatter said that Cornel Borbély, Garcia’s former deputy, would fill Garcia’s role on an interim basis and added that the work by Garcia was important. While there will be no revote — “the report is about history, and I am focused on the future,” Blatter said — Blatter said the investigation had inspired key changes in the way FIFA would approach the bidding process going forward.
While there will not be a revote on the host countries for the next two World Cups — “the report is about history, and I am focused on the future,” Blatter said — the FIFA president also added that the investigation had inspired crucial changes, although he did not elaborate. In the immediate future, FIFA will look to firm up details about the 2018 and 2022 versions of its marquee event. On Friday, it determined the dates of Russia’s tournament. (The final will be July 15, 2018, in Moscow.) The timing of the Qatar World Cup will be determined at the executive committee’s March meeting in Switzerland. Then, after the election for the presidency, focus will turn toward the 2026 tournament’s location.
“We are already in the process of incorporating recommendations made by independent experts,” Blatter said. “Everyone can be confident that the 2026 bidding process will be fair, ethical and open.” “We are already in the process of incorporating recommendations made by independent experts,” Blatter said, adding that “everyone can be confident that the 2026 bidding process will be fair, ethical and open.”