By Andrew Warshaw
November 14 – FIFA’s ethics judge Hans Joachim Eckert says he is “surprised” by public criticism from Michael Garcia’s over the way he summarised Garcia’s report into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
As the spat between the respective chairmen of the two arms of FIFA’s ethics committee intensified, Eckert says he didn’t publish anything that went against Garcia’s findings.
“I’m surprised, not shocked,” said Eckert in a statement. “I’m a long time in the job here. I don’t think anything surprises me. A lot of my report was word for word from the Garcia report.”
Garcia, who spent two years investigating claims of wrongdoing, says Eckert’s account contains erroneous and misleading information. Eckert’s 42-page document cleared Russia and Qatar of corruption after they were chosen to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups respectively, but criticised England and Australia.
Just what Garcia, a the former US attorney, takes exception to is not yet clear, but he intends to appeal. What IS known is that he wants his report with all his original findings published in full.
But Eckert says that is simply not possible.
“I don’t think that’s possible because I have to respect the rights of confidentiality for continental law,” said the German. “Maybe it’s another thing in the US, but in continental law I can’t do it, and I can’t do it in total even by the FIFA code of ethics. I will not do it.”
“Usually you would first speak to each other internally if you don’t like something,” Eckert said, adding that he had not been able to get in touch with Garcia. “I have been trying to contact him.”
Meanwhile, the man who led FIFA’s technical bid inspections into the 2018 and 2022 World Cups is reported to be under scrutiny for his links with a Qatari sporting academy.
Harold Mayne-Nicholls, former Chilean FA chief, is considering standing against Sepp Blatter in next year’s FIFA presidential election.
Mayne-Nicholls confirmed to the Daily Telegraph that he was being investigated over his links to Qatar’s Aspire Academy and e-mails exchanged with its director regarding the possibility of unpaid internships for his son, nephew and brother-in-law.
But Aspire did not form part of Qatar’s bid and Mayne-Nicholls, 53, has denied any wrongdoing. : “Of course, I will collaborate and answer every single question,” he was quoted as saying.
Mayne-Nicholls can hardly be accused of promoting Qatar’s bid, having ranked the Gulf state as the only “high risk” candidate for 2022.
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