Michael Garcia, the American lawyer who "led the investigation into the 2018 and 2022
World Cup bid process," resigned from the FIFA ethics committee on
Wednesday in "protest over the handling of his findings," according to Graham Dunbar of the AP. Garcia cited a "lack of leadership" at the top of FIFA in a
resignation statement. He also said he has "lost confidence in the
independence of his ethics committee colleague, German judge Joachim
Eckert." The former U.S. attorney quit "a day after the FIFA appeals panel rejected his challenge of Eckert's summary of the confidential 430-page investigation dossier." Garcia claimed that Eckert "misrepresented his work and launched his failed appeal." Garcia wrote, "(The) Eckert Decision made me lose confidence in the independence of the Adjudicatory Chamber, (but) it is the lack of leadership on these issues within FIFA that leads me to conclude that my role in this process is at an end" (AP, 12/17). In London, Aaron Flanagan reported in his resignation statement, "Garcia also questioned how FIFA can truly change after years of scandals and criticism." He wrote, "No independent governance committee, investigator, or arbitration panel can change the culture of an organization." Garcia
also revealed in his resignation statement that FIFA President Sepp Blatter and the
FIFA exec committee "tried to have disciplinary proceedings opened
against him in September, which was rejected by FIFA's disciplinary
panel" (DAILY MIRROR, 12/17). BLOOMBERG's Christopher Elser reported Garcia said in his statement, "It now appears that, at least for the foreseeable future,
the Eckert Decision will stand as the final word on the
2018/2022 FIFA World Cup bidding process. While the Appeal Committee's decision notes that further appeal may be taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, I have concluded that such a course of action would not be practicable in this case" (BLOOMBERG, 12/17). The PA's Martyn Ziegler reported Garcia himself called for his report to be published back in September -- but has "now revealed he found himself reported to FIFA's disciplinary committee for doing so, though no action was taken" (PA, 12/17).
BLATTER 'SURPRISED': The AP's John Leicester wrote Blatter said that he is "surprised" by the resignation of Garcia. When asked for his reaction, Blatter said that he and his exec committee "will formulate
their response when they meet on Thursday." Blatter: "Listen, we just received this information. I cannot make any
comment. I will do it together tomorrow with the Executive Committee." When Blatter was "pressed further for a response," he added, "I'm just surprised. It's all what I can say. Just that" (AP, 12/17).
FIFA STATEMENT: Blatter said, "The work of the Ethics Committee will nonetheless continue and will be a central part of the discussions at the ExCo meeting in the next two days" (FIFA).
VOTE POSSIBLE: SKY SPORTS' Bryan Swanson wrote Blatter has held talks with several Exec Committee members over the "possibility of a vote on whether Michael Garcia's corruption investigation should be published in full." Blatter discussed the issue on Tuesday, in Marrakesh, and "will continue to gauge the mood of the game's senior officials before FIFA's main meeting on Thursday and Friday." FIFA's top compliance official, Domenico Scala, has "yet to confirm" whether he will recommend that Garcia's report "is handed over to FIFA's Executive Committee in full." When asked whether he had "decided how much of the report will be published," Scala replied, "I need to do my homework first!" (SKY SPORTS, 12/17).
HOLDING OUT HOPE: ESPN's Gabriele Marcotti opined there is a "decent chance that the full Garcia report will one day be released." On Thursday, FIFA's Exec Committee will meet in Marrakesh. It "could be a seminal moment of the kind that changes the course of FIFA -- and football -- history." Or it could "turn out to be another House of Cards-style sinkhole, bringing out the worst of politicking and roadblocking." Scala -- "another one of the privileged few who has actually read Garcia's report -- is charged with deciding how much of it will be released and to whom." You "may be wondering at this stage how Scala's job differs from Eckert's." Good question. If "you were cynical, you might suggest it's FIFA's attempt at a 'do-over.'" Eckert "tried the whitewash, FIFA were ridiculed, Scala can set things right." More than half of the current ExCo members were not around "at the time of the last vote." Some, "no doubt, may still be influenced to vote against transparency by those who don't want the contents of the Garcia report to emerge." But, "equally, you'd hope, they would be offset by the guys who were around back then and have nothing to hide" (ESPN, 12/17).
