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Garcia Report Eases Fears Of Russia, Qatar Fears As FIFA Rules Out Revote

The prospects of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups being hosted by Russia and Qatar "have been strengthened" after FIFA "dramatically published in full" the investigation by U.S. prosecutor Michael Garcia into the '10 voting process, according to David Conn of the London GUARDIAN. Long thought to contain "explosive revelations" after Garcia resigned in '14 protesting that a summary published by fellow Ethics Committee Chair Hans-Joachim Eckert "misrepresented it." His 349-page main report contained some "startling detail" on the "culture of entitlement" at FIFA, but his "main findings largely tallied with the thrust of Eckert's summary." He did find evidence of "serious alleged irregularities" and recommended investigation and action against several senior members of FIFA's exec committee, including former German player and coach Franz Beckenbauer, but did not recommend the vote be annulled. Qatar was "found to have employed tactics familiar now," including the sponsorship of the Confederation of African Football Conference in Angola and the "famous" '10 lunch attended by the son of the country's emir at the time with former France President Nicolas Sarkozy and then-UEFA President Michel Platini, "but not to have bought votes." Russia's bid to host the 2018 World Cup was found "not to have fully reported all its contacts" with the exec committee members, as required by the rules, but was otherwise explicitly cleared of offering any excessive gifts or "undue influence" (GUARDIAN, 6/27). REUTERS' Sylvia Westall reported Qatar's 2022 World Cup organizers "welcomed" the "long-awaited FIFA report on the race to host the tournament," saying that the conclusions represented "a vindication of the integrity" of Doha's bid. FIFA chose to publish the findings on Tuesday after the document was leaked to German newspaper Bild. Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy said in a statement, "Although we question the timing of the leak, we welcome the publication of the Garcia report. We believe that the extent of our cooperation with this investigation and the conclusions drawn represent a vindication of the integrity of our bid" (REUTERS, 6/28).

'NO SOLID GROUND': SKY SPORTS' Bryan Swanson reported FIFA "has resisted calls for a revote of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids." But anti-FIFA campaigner NewFIFANow wants another vote for 2018 and 2022 to help "restore confidence and trust in the way world football is administered." FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura said, "The decision to stage the World Cup in Russia and Qatar was taken by previous management. There is no solid ground to really question the adjudication [validity] of these two World Cups to Russia and Qatar" (SKY SPORTS, 6/28).

'IMPROPER RELATIONSHIP': The BBC reported a plan for England to play a friendly in Thailand to win backing for its 2018 World Cup bid was "a form of bribery," investigators were told. Former FA Chair Geoff Thompson made the admission when interviewed during an inquiry into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting bids. The offer to stage the friendly was made "only eight days before the vote" to decide the '18 and '22 hosts. The offer was "withdrawn three weeks later, by which stage it was clear Thailand had not supported the English bid." The FA was open at the time "about the friendly being arranged to win support." But Garcia's report said, "Top English football officials recognised that arranging friendlies with a team from an executive committee's home country in order to advance the England 2018 bid was improper. ... The game's cancellation only underscores the improper relationship between the 24 November 2010 offer to play the game and the 2 December World Cup vote" (BBC, 6/27).

BROADCAST BARGAIN: AD AGE's Anthony Crupi wrote the report offers some insight into the events of Feb. '15, when FIFA extended its U.S. TV deals with Fox and Telemundo in a closed auction. At the time, it was "suspected that FIFA had granted the extensions at a bargain rate in order to mollify Fox, which was furious that the choice of Qatar as the host nation would necessitate shifting the 2022 World Cup from the summer to the fall." As it turns out, "FIFA's generosity was actually a profligate means of sidestepping an even more expensive legal entanglement." Garcia noted the "likelihood of having to reschedule" the 2022 World Cup "proved to be a bone of contention for Fox and Telemundo." Garcia wrote, "The TV partners in the USA ... did have some issues, as there would be a clash with the American football season. For which reason, it had been agreed to extend the contract with Fox in exchange for an undertaking not to act against FIFA should the 2022 World Cup be moved to winter" (AD AGE, 6/27).

ABRAMOVICH LINK: In London, Rumsby & Malnick reported Chelsea Owner Roman Abramovich was "dragged into the scandal over the award of the next two World Cups." The Garcia Report confirmed that Russia 2018 leased computers from the Konoplyov Football Academy, the administration of which had been taken over by Abramovich's Academy of Football in '06. A summary of the report said that the bid committee had made "only a limited amount of documents available for review" by investigators after those computers were destroyed upon being returned to their owner. There is "no suggestion Abramovich personally authorised their destruction" (TELEGRAPH, 6/27).

TEIXEIRA DENIES IMPROPRIETY: REUTERS' Andrew Downie reported the "reclusive" Ricardo Teixeira, one of three Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) presidents indicted in the U.S. in the FIFA corruption scandal, "broke his silence" after the report was published. He "denied allegations that he took expensive gifts" and said that the report was filled with "ifs" and "may haves." Teixeira: "I didn't read it. I am not going to read a report that isn't conclusive. Does it say that I took money here or there? It's only 'could have.' Let me tell you something so you can understand: I didn't receive gifts. I didn't receive gifts. I didn't receive gifts" (REUTERS, 6/28).

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