ZURICH/AMMAN: Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, Asia’s FIFA vice-president, has added his voice to demands that the world federation publish the results of the investigation into the 2018-s022 World Cup bidding scandal writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Investigator Michael Garcia and judge Hans-Joachim Eckert disagree, on the sideline of an ethics conference in Zurich last week, on whether the 430-page summation should be released after the American lawyer completed his work early this month

Revealing a difference in legal cultures, Bavarian judge Eckert thought the report should remain confidential pending verdicts next spring while United States lawyer Garcia indicated that transparency would only be good for perceptions of both his work and FIFA itself.

Sylvia Schenk of Transparency International and British MP Damian Collins have been among supporters of publication.

They have been joined by Jordanian Prince Ali. He said: “In the interest of full transparency, I believe it is important that the much-anticipated report on the ethics investigation move ahead in reforming our institutions in the best interest of the sport.

“The entire football family as well as its sponsors and those who follow the game worldwide have a full right to know the contents of the report in the spirit of complete openness.”

The FIFA code of ethics states that “only the final decisions already notified to the addressees may be made public.” But that leaves the option open for Eckert to approve publication in due course. Garcia had conceded that some sections of his initial report would have to be withdrawn for legal reasons.

Only four people — Garcia, Eckert and their FIFA ethics committee deputies — have seen the report and the 2o0,000 pages of supporting evidence.

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