The Transparency International movement passed a resolution calling on FIFA, world football’s governing body, to publish its investigation into alleged bribery in the awarding of the World Cup to Russia and Qatar.
“Sport should be a role model of fair play but the ability for sport to act as a force for good in the world is compromised when sports organisations are not held to the highest standards of good governance and accountability. That’s why Transparency International wants to keep the pressure up on FIFA to make sure that anyone involved with bribery is held to account,” said José Ugaz, chair of Transparency International.
The resolution says: “Transparency International calls on FIFA to publish this report (in a form that respects the rights of individuals who agreed to give evidence anonymously) so that anyone who has been involved in bribery or wrong-doing is held to account.”
More than 100 chapters in the global anti-corruption movement came together in Berlin for the annual membership meeting on 19 October.
The goal of the resolution is to ensure that if bribery was involved in awarding the World Cup, those concerned are brought to justice and to keep pressure on FIFA to publish enough information from the report to ensure that the investigation is considered credible.
FIFA has already moved from its initial position that the entire report would remain secret and has now said it would publish some information. The head of the investigation, Michael Garcia, has also called for its publication.
Transparency International is following up on its previous calls for reform at FIFA, an organisation tainted by a series of corruption scandals.
This is the full text of the resolution:
Integrity in Sport: Restoring trust in FIFA
World football’s governing body FIFA must take concrete steps to win back trust in sport governance at a time when corruption threatens the integrity of sport. The ability for sport to act as a force for good in the world is compromised when sports organisations are not held to the highest standards of good governance and accountability.
Following the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar, respectively, it was alleged that FIFA executive committee members had taken bribes. FIFA initiated an investigation by its Ethics Committee, known as the Garcia Report, which it has now said will remain secret.
Transparency International calls on FIFA to publish this report (in a form that respects the rights of individuals who agreed to give evidence anonymously) so that anyone who has been involved in bribery or wrong-doing is held to account.