Fifa executive tried to discipline Michael Garcia

Michael J Garcia, the US lawyer who resigned yesterday from the football body's ethics committee, said that the Fifa executive committee tried to begin disciplinary proceedings against him two months ago.

Miichael Garcia has resigned over FIFA inquiry Digital Storm

Mr Garcia, the former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has been involved in a battle to get his long report published on the way Russia and Qatar won the rights to stage the next two World Cups. A controversial summary of his report made him 'lose confidence in the independence of the adjudicatory chamber', he said. Looking back on his two years at Fifa, he said: 'For the first two years ... I felt that the ethics committee was making real progress in advancing ethics enforcement at FIFA. In recent months, that changed.'

Disciplinary

Mr Garcia revealed in his resignation statement that the Fifa executive committee, led by President Sepp Blatter, tried to commence disciplinary proceedings against him in September. However, that move was rejected by the head of the Fifa disciplinary panel. Mr Garcia had submitted his report early that month. The summary was published in November.

Morocco

The executive committee of Fifa is meeting in Morocco today and tomorrow and could decide to amend some of its ethics committee rules in order to publish some parts of the Garcia report. But this is not seen as being particularly likely.  

Source: ESPN and New York Times

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