UEFA fear FIFA will alter Garcia report
THERE are grave suspicions within UEFA that the Michael Garcia report into World Cup bid corruption will be altered by FIFA lawyers before it is published to protect Sepp Blatter.
This follows German magazine Der Spiegel’s revelations that criticisms of Blatter contained in FIFA governance committee chairman Mark Pieth’s reform report last year were removed by Zurich’s legal adviser Marco Villiger.
UEFA chief Michel Platini has damned the blatant interference by FIFA. His spokesman said: ‘This shows FIFA’s independent governance committee was anything but independent. UEFA has always wondered why it was criticised by Mr Pieth and wrongly accused of blocking FIFA reforms. Now we understand why.’
It’s also been suggested American lawyer Garcia’s shock resignation from his FIFA investigative role in protest at Hans- Joachim Eckert’s summary of his findings might be more to do with his Blatter observations being ‘amended’ than detail involving Russia or Qatar.
FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan said: ‘Something is not right at the heart of FIFA governance. Without publishing the Garcia report in full, FIFA faces ongoing public suspicion that interference may have occurred.’
FIFA, who called the Pieth report legal marks ‘standard procedure’, claim only five changes were made and say: ‘There can be no question of FIFA exerting unfair influence.’
ASTON
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