FIFA Ethics Committee Joint Chief Investigator Michael Garcia said that "the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar, respectively, will come under scrutiny," according to the AFP. Garcia of the U.S. and Hans-Joachim Eckert of Germany "were appointed joint chairmen of the Ethics Committee during FIFA's extraordinary meeting in Zurich in July." In a German TV interview Garcia said that the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany "will also come under scrutiny as part of the pairs' inquiries." The 51-year-old told ARD, "If you look at things, it is clear there is something to investigate, and that is what we are going to do." Garcia also said that the conduct of FIFA President Sepp Blatter "will also come under scrutiny." Garcia added, "The more important the person involved is, the more important it is to examine them as well" (AFP, 8/26). FAZ.net reported that former German Football Federation President Theo Zwanziger wants a thorough review of all suspicious "payments and transfers" including those that are in direct connection with the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany. In the documents of the prosecution an entry from July 5, 2000, caught Zwanziger's eye. This entry reads that "a person with the codename 'E 16' received a payment of $250,000." A day later Germany was awarded the 2006 World Cup in a 12:11 decision over South Africa (FAZ.net, 8/26).
