FIFA Won’t Restage Vote for 2018 or 2022 World Cup

Key investigator Michael Garcia stepped down last week out of protest, claiming FIFA leadership had misrepresented his previous expose of corruption in the bidding process to host the next World Cups in Russia and Qatar.

FIFA’s executive committee has unanimously agreed to release an “appropriate” version of an investigation into the report of alleged corruption in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process, insisting that the decision to let Russia and Qatar host the tournaments was made in a transparent manner.

On Saturday, FIFA president Sepp Blatter expounded on the reasons why the World soccer federation chose not to hold a re-vote on its previous decision to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar during their hot summer, despite protests from players foreseeing health risks.

There is no reason to go back on our decision

“It would really need an earthquake, extremely important new elements to go back on this World Cup in Qatar,” said Blatter. “At the current time, there is no reason to go back on our decisions. The two World Cups are in the calendar, the only thing missing is the precise dates for 2022, but these two World Cups will take place.”

Key FIFA investigator Michael Garcia had opened an official probe against a number of affiliated individuals, including three members who sit on the current FIFA executive committee, Blatter confirmed Friday.

Blatter added that FIFA has overcome the crisis set off by the publication of former investigator Garcia’s 430-page report.

Michael Garcia resigns

“We have been in a crisis (but) with the decision of the executive committee today, the crisis has stopped,” Blatter said.

However the controversy in unlikely to go away, with Garcia resigning from his role last week, claiming the global soccer association had misrepresented his original report, using “erroneous representations,” to deny its wrongdoing.

Global governance bodies like FIFA are not required to abide by international law

At the moment, global governance bodies like FIFA are not required to abide by international law. This circumstance made Garcia’s investigation into the corruption charges surrounding the 2010 vote to assign the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 World Cup to Qatar especially difficult.

In his resignation statement, Garcia referred to a “lack of leadership” at FIFA’s executive level, casting particular doubt on the accountability of his colleague on the ethics committee, German judge Joachim Eckert.

The need for reform

While the investigation will continue, Mark Pieth, a Swiss professor and expert on governance who has consulted FIFA in the past, stressed the need for reform of the international organization.

“FIFA needs a permanent, outside oversight body. One investigator isn’t nearly enough. It never will be,” he told The New York Times in an interview.

FIFA could not say how long it would be until the final report is published, but Blatter urged the ethics committee to speed up the investigation.

Source:  FIFA Won’t Restage Vote for 2018 or 2022 World Cup  TeleSUR