By Paul Nicholson
October 15 – Insideworldfootball has received copy of correspondence from FIFA’s chairman of its investigatory chamber Michael Garcia proving he promised confidentiality to an interviewee in the investigation into the bidding cities and their conduct in the race to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
The letter, dated 2014 and signed by Michael J Garcia/MCA, Chairman, Investigatory Chamber, FIFA Ethics Committee, in its final paragraph says: “Finally, please be advised that these investigation proceedings are confidential. Accordingly, please refrain from discussing this notice or these proceedings with anyone other than your attorney, should you choose to retain one.”
The copy of the correspondence was received following the speech given by Garcia to the American Bar Association in London where he called for greater transparency in the investigative process.
“It’s one thing to tell people that a rigorous process is in place. It’s another thing to show them how that process works and what it has uncovered,” he said. “FIFA built the system that should inspire confidence that things have changed for the better. Showing that to the public serves FIFA’s best interest.”
Garcia has previously said that the 430-page report into the bidding process for 2018 and 2022 World Cups should be published, though German Judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, who heads FIFA’s Ethics chamber, and who will deliver verdicts into any wrongdoing by individuals, has said that due to confidentialities the report cannot be published.
Garcia’s change of position from promising confidentiality in written communication to calling for publication in open forum has caused distrust and concern in FIFA circles and amongst the wider bidding committee executives, most of whom have since taken up other positions in football.
The distrust has raised further questions about the whole investigative process which has seen Garcia and his team spend more than an estimated $20 million – more than enough money to resurface all the Canada 2015 Women’s World Cup stadia with grass and then replace the artificial turf after the matches, and head off another legal challenge FIFA is facing from its women players.
For FIFA the question must now be asked internally whether its ethics process is flawed and whether the proposed breach of confidentiality and Garcia’s demands for publication have undermined the whole investigation of the Ethics Chamber – whether it has done an honest and fair job or not.
Once these questions begin to be asked the logical next question is whether the investigation has been compromised by the integrity of its investigators and whether there needs to be further investigation of their motives and conduct.
Ironically, but presumably not intended to be, Garcia mentioned in his address to the American Bar Association an investigation of investigators that had taken place in US sports in the NFL.
“Without transparency, problems and scepticism have lingered. We’ve seen that recently with the NFL . . . which has had to bring in outside counsel to investigate its own investigation,” said Garcia.
“It’s that kind of leadership that breathes the life into a code of ethics.” It is this kind of scepticism that is now growing on both sides of the publish vs confidentiality debate. Will it lead to that kind of ‘leadership’ raises intriguing possibilities.
Insideworldfootball has in the past week been told by three separate sources of the wording in the requests for interviews and the promises of confidentiality in the investigative process.
See Insideworldfootball chief correspondent Andrew Warshaw’s column http://www.insideworldfootball.com/andrew-warshaw/15622-andrew-warshaw-the-broken-promises-of-confidentiality
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1738293537labto1738293537ofdlr1738293537owedi1738293537sni@n1738293537osloh1738293537cin.l1738293537uap1738293537