FIFA "finally agreed to release its full World Cup corruption report" on Thursday -- "but only after taking legal advice which ruled out any prospect of Russia and Qatar being stripped of the tournament," according to Ben Rumsby of the London TELEGRAPH. FIFA and President Sepp Blatter "bowed to almost intolerable pressure to disclose the findings" of Michael Garcia into the "most controversial bidding process in sporting history." Blatter convinced his exec committee unanimously to "approve publication of a redacted version of the 430-page report by Garcia" -- who quit as FIFA ethics investigator on Wednesday -- after two experts deemed it did not "contain enough evidence to warrant rerunning the race for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups." The experts commissioned by the head of FIFA's audit and compliance committee, Domenico Scala, also warned that "stripping Russia and Qatar of the tournament" would leave the organization at "risk of a lawsuit" (TELEGRAPH, 12/19). In London, Blitz & Aglionby reported Blatter said that the selection of Russia "would not be reopened." Blatter: "The report is about history and I am focused on the future. We will not revisit the 2018 and 2022 vote. It would really need an earthquake, extremely important new elements to go back on this World Cup in Qatar." Blatter said he was "pleased" at the decision because "the publication of this report has become a barrier to rebuilding public confidence and trust in FIFA" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 12/19). In N.Y., Sam Borden reported the report will be "redacted to protect 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 have been closed." UEFA President Michel Platini, an "outspoken opponent of Blatter's on a number of issues, called for a quick release of the report." He said, "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" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/20).
REPLACEMENT NAMED: The INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES' Thomas Barrabi reported FIFA's exec committee appointed Cornel Borbely, a "lawyer who has worked with the Swiss military, to replace Garcia." Borbely previously worked as Garcia's deputy. Blatter: "Although we are disappointed that our work with Mr. Garcia has ended this way, I want to make it clear that our commitment to ethical standards is stronger than ever" (IB TIMES, 12/19).
BLATTER: CRISIS 'OVER': In Auckland, Michael Brown wrote Blatter declared the "crisis" at FIFA "is over." FIFA execs "seem to have decided that whatever is in Garcia's report can't be as bad as the hammering they are getting for not releasing it." What is in the report is "the big question." Only a "few people have read it." One of those is FIFA Ethics Judge Hans-Joachim Eckert. He said he did not see "any smoking gun that would justify stripping Qatar and Russia of their World Cups." What "of Russia and Qatar?" Unless some "major new evidence of wrongdoing turns up, they seem certain to keep their World Cups" (NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 12/21).
