Transparency International joins call for FIFA’s publication of Garcia report
In a resolution passed this week, the international anti-corruption body Transparency International joined the voices calling for a publication of the findings of the investigations into the 2018/2022 World Cup bidding process.
Through the resolution, Transparency International hopes to pressure FIFA into publishing enough information from the report to make the investigation come out as credible and to ensure that those involved in the possible corruption be held accountable if foul play is found to have taken place.
“Sport should be a role model of fair play but the ability for sport to act as a force for good in the world is compromised when sports organisations are not held to the highest standards of good governance and accountability. That’s why Transparency International wants to keep the pressure up on FIFA to make sure that anyone involved with bribery is held to account,” said José Ugaz, chair of Transparency International according to a press release.
The report in question is authored by American lawyer Michael Garcia and is currently being reviewed by Hans-Joachim Eckert, head of FIFA’s Adjudicatory Chamber. Transparency International is not the first to openly call for the publication of the report investigating the alleged bribery in relation to the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Garcia himself has urged FIFA to publicise it, as have several high-profiled football officials.
FIFA started out by dismissing any publication of the report but now says that there will be some information released in due time.
Read more: Pressure builds on FIFA to make Garcia report public
Read the resolution from Transparency International:
Integrity in Sport: Restoring trust in FIFA
World football’s governing body FIFA must take concrete steps to win back trust in sport governance at a time when corruption threatens the integrity of sport. The ability for sport to act as a force for good in the world is compromised when sports organisations are not held to the highest standards of good governance and accountability.
Following the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar, respectively, it was alleged that FIFA executive committee members had taken bribes. FIFA initiated an investigation by its Ethics Committee, known as the Garcia Report, which it has now said will remain secret.
Transparency International calls on FIFA to publish this report (in a form that respects the rights of individuals who agreed to give evidence anonymously) so that anyone who has been involved in bribery or wrong-doing is held to account.