Prince Ali calls for immediate publication of Garcia report

FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin Al Hussein has called for the immediate publication of Michael Garcia’s report into alleged corruption within world football’s governing body.

Garcia stated that his investigation into the decisions to award the World Cup hosting rights to Russia and Qatar in 2018 and 2022 showed “serious and wide-ranging issues” in the bidding process.

The 54-year-old resigned in protest 12 months ago after accusing FIFA ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert of publishing an “incomplete and erroneous” version of his findings.

Ali, who confirmed his candidacy to succeed Sepp Blatter in October, has urged FIFA to adopt “some basic norms, like publishing the Garcia report immediately, because even those who are running for the position of FIFA president need to know what has been going on in this organisation, and the public needs to know as well.”

Speaking at a Dubai footballing conference, he added: “There have been a lot of proposals for reform within FIFA, but the main issue is not the proposals themselves, but the implementation of these proposals.”

FIFA had initially declined to publish the full version on the grounds that those who gave evidence on condition of remaining anonymous could be compromised.

UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino, who has also submitted a bid to become FIFA president, spoke alongside Ali about the importance of “transparency of the money flow” within the organisation.

The Swiss’s remarks come following the eight-year suspensions of Blatter and UEFA chief Michel Platini over an irregular payment made in 2011.

“Once you know how the money comes in and how the money goes out, and this is transparent, this is documented, this is clear, you have solved 95 percent of the real or perceived problems of FIFA,” he said.

“So the transparency of the money flow is key.

“How do we develop football? By investing, of course. The money is there… but by investing it in a proper way.”