By Daniel Etchells

"A legally appropriate version" of Michael Garcia's report into the bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be released, the FIFA Executive Committee decided at its meeting in Marrakech today ©Getty ImagesFIFA's Executive Committee has agreed unanimously to publish "a legally appropriate version" of Michael Garcia's report into the bidding processes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups - but Russia and Qatar will remain as hosts after Sepp Blatter ruled out a re-vote. 

Domenico Scala, chairman of FIFA's Audit and Compliance Committee, recommended to the Executive Committee meeting held in Marrakech, Morocco, today that the report be released in an "appropriate" form and where legally possible.

His recommendation was agreed to unanimously, meaning a vote on German member Theo Zwanziger's proposal to change the Ethics Code rules, which would allow full and immediate publication, was avoided.
 
FIFA President Blatter revealed he had asked the Executive Committee to vote in favour of publishing the report. 

"We have always been determined the truth should be known," he said.

"That is, after all, why we set up an independent Ethics Committee with an investigatory chamber that has all necessary means to undertake investigations on its own initiative."

Garcia resigned from his position as FIFA's chief ethics investigator on Wednesday (December 17) after his appeal against the publication of what he perceived to be an "incomplete and erroneous" summary of his 430-page report, compiled by German judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, was rejected. 

The former United States attorney cited a lack of leadership at the top of world football's governing body as the reason behind him stepping down.

Domenico Scala, chairman of FIFA's Audit and Compliance Committee, made the recommendation to the Executive Committee that Michael Garcia's report is released in an "appropriate" form and where legally possible ©Getty ImagesDomenico Scala, chairman of FIFA's Audit and Compliance Committee, made the recommendation to the Executive Committee that Michael Garcia's report is released in an "appropriate" form and where legally possible ©Getty Images







Great Britain's FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce, from Northern Ireland, welcomed the move to publish the report.

"I am pleased the the FIFA Executive Committee decided without a vote to publish this report," he said.

"It shows that people at FIFA at the moment do desire transparency and the sooner we can get on with talking about the game of football that we all love, the better."

While considerably more of the full report will now be made available, there are likely to be significant redactions.

There is, as of yet, no timetable for the publication of the report and it will be down to the Ethics Committee to decide in what form and when the report is published.

Blatter has confirmed Russia and Qatar will remain as hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, regardless of what the report reveals.

"The report is about history and I am focused on the future," said the Swiss in a statement.

"We will not revisit the 2018 and 2022 vote and a report by independent, external legal experts commissioned by Mr Scala supports the view that there are no legal grounds to revoke the Executive Committee's decision on the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups."

"We also need to remember that while the report is complete, the investigations flowing from it are not.

"We must ensure that we do not jeopardise those investigations and the proceedings against various individuals already initiated by the independent Ethics Committee.

"Participants in the investigation also deserve to have their rights respected."

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has confirmed there will be no re-vote on the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively ©Getty Images
FIFA President Sepp Blatter has confirmed there will be no re-vote on the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively ©Getty Images



The 78-year-old added that he believes the furore surrounding the publication of the report "has become a barrier to rebuilding public confidence and trust in FIFA".

He added: "Part of this is due to the fact that we have been deliberate in the way that we have moved through the process.

"We need to ensure that we respect the rules of our organisation and that we do not breach confidentiality in a way that will prevent people from speaking out in the future."

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December 2014: Ethics investigator Garcia resigns after slamming FIFA independence and leadership