FIFA ethics investigator Michael Garcia, "who spent 18 months investigating the controversial bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups," has reiterated his call "for his report to be published in full," according to Owen Gibson of the London GUARDIAN. Garcia "called on the executive committee to intervene and ensure the report was made public." His 350-page report is "believed to recommend sanctions against several individuals involved in the chaotic and convoluted bidding process," but FIFA insiders "believe there is not likely to be enough evidence to strip Qatar of the 2022 tournament" (GUARDIAN, 9/24). In London, Ben Rumsby reported Garcia spoke out after FIFA Ethics Judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, who will "dole
out punishments to any individuals found guilty of wrongdoing, reiterated
that Garcia's full findings would never see the light of day." Garcia: "Given the limited role Mr. Hans-Joachim Eckert envisions for the
adjudicatory chamber, I believe it is now necessary for the FIFA executive
committee to authorize the appropriate publication of the report on the
inquiry into the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cup bidding process." Garcia reportedly wants a "redacted copy of his report made public,
removing the names of whistleblowers and other sensitive information" (TELEGRAPH, 9/24).
BOYCE SPEAKS OUT: In London, Oliver Kay reported FIFA VP Jim Boyce has "added his weight to the calls for Garcia's report to be published which have also been voiced" by two other exec committee members: FIFA VP Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati. Boyce: "I fully support these views. If people have nothing to fear they should not worry about things becoming public knowledge." Prince Ali tweeted that making the report public was "crucial to ensuring good governance at FIFA" (LONDON TIMES, 9/24). In N.Y., Futterman & Robinson reported several FIFA exec committee members "are working behind the scenes to convince the organization to release a confidential investigative report on the bidding process" for the '18 and '22 World Cups (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/24). Also in N.Y., Sam Borden wrote Gulati on Wednesday said that he "plans to raise the issue" during Friday's exec committee meeting in Zurich and added that he will "aggressively lobby for the report to be made public." Gulati said, "If we're going to truly support the idea of transparency and change within FIFA, it has to be made public in the truest meaning of the word" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/24).
