FIFA ousts heads of its ethics committee with 'several hundred' cases ongoing

Hundreds of prosecutions of suspected wrongdoing by soccer officials will be affected by President Gianni Infantino firing FIFA's top judge and prosecutor.

Associated Press | May 10, 2017

FIFA ousts heads of its ethics committee with 'several hundred' cases ongoing /

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) – Hundreds of prosecutions of suspected wrongdoing by soccer officials will be affected by President Gianni Infantino firing FIFA's top judge and prosecutor.

The ousted investigator, Cornel Borbely, said Wednesday that the workload–heavier than even most FIFA critics imagined–of the ethics committee will be impeded by the firing that Infantino sprung on his ruling council a day earlier.

On Wednesday, Infantino declined to discuss the reasons for not handing new terms to Swiss prosecutor Borbely and German judge Hans-Joachim Eckert.

The FIFA leader also insisted its image had not been damaged by the fallout–despite widespread comparisons of him with President Donald Trump, who also fired a top investigator on Tuesday.

''We are positive,'' said Infantino, whose reputation for acquiring and wielding executive power matches that of predecessor Sepp Blatter.

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Amid mounting criticism of the Infantino's purge of the men who have banned soccer's top officials in recent years, only one member of his council broke rank to publicly question the decision.

''I said in the meeting that we were satisfied with the work of both people,'' German federation president Reinhard Grindel said, referencing Eckert and Borbely. ''I asked because the general secretary (Fatma Samoura) made a statement in the media a few weeks ago that they will support both. And so it is a decision of the president that he makes the proposal ... you have to ask Infantino why he made this proposal.''

Only a day before Tuesday's council meeting, Grindel said he asked Samoura's office ''if there were any announcements that Borbely and Eckert will be displaced and they said no, they had no information.''

Eckert and Borbely said they discovered they were being removed from heading the two FIFA ethics chambers on their phones as they arrived in Bahrain on Tuesday for the FIFA Congress.

''First I was astonished, second I was disappointed because I am trying to ask myself, `Have I done something wrong?''' Eckert said in an interview. ''You think about yourself and I didn't find anything. I really don't know because nobody (from FIFA) speaks with me up to now.''

The departing ethics officials said the process of bringing corrupt officials to justice will now stall as new ethics officials have to learn how to navigate the global FIFA structures. Borbely said his ''removal was unnecessary and because of that political,'' and called it a ''setback for the fight against corruption.''

''We investigated several hundred cases and several hundred are still pending and ongoing at this moment,'' Borbely added at a joint news conference with Eckert. ''Imagine where FIFA would be today without an ethics committee.''

The best shots from the FIFA Beach World Cup

Mexico vs. Nigeria

Poland vs. Brazil

Lucao of Brazil celebrates scoring a goal during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group D match between Poland and Brazil.

Paraguay vs. Portugal

Goalkeeper Elinton Andrade and Be Martins (11) of Portugal battles for the ball with Pedro Moran of Paraguay during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group C match between Paraguay and Portugal.

Panama vs. UAE

Julio Watson #9 of Panama celebrates a goal with teammates during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group C match between Panama and United Arab Emirates UAE.

Nigeria vs. Iran

Goalkeeper, Peyman Hosseini of Iran makes a save during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group B match between Nigeria and Iran.

Mexico vs. Nigeria

Azeez Abu of Nigeria celebrates after the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group B match between Mexico and Nigeria.

Switzerland vs. Iran

Players of Iran celebrate after the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 quarter final match.

Bahamas vs. Ecuador

Lesly St Fleur of Bahamas attempts a bicycle kick next to Jorge Bailon and goalkeeper Jorge Leon of Ecuador during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group A match between Bahamas and Ecuador.

Tahiti vs. Japan

The team of Tahati celebrates victory after the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group D match between Tahiti and Japan.

Switzerland vs. Iran

Noel Ott of Switzerland attempts a bicycle kick shot on goal in front of Amir Akbari of Iran during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 quarter final match between Switzerland and Iran.

Switzerland vs. Senegal

Mamour Diagne (R) of Senegal celebrates scoring a goal with teammate Lansana Diassy during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group A match between Switzerland and Senegal.

Poland vs. Brazil

Rodrigo of Brazil controls the ball in front of Witold Ziober of Poland during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group D match between Poland and Brazil.

Tahiti vs. Japan

Heimanu Taiarui of Tahati performs a bicycle kick during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group D match between Tahiti and Japan.

UAE vs. Portugal

UAE players looks on, after they lost to Portugal during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group C match between United Arab Emirates and Portugal.

Paraguay vs. Panama

Goalkeeper Ivan Fernandez of Paraguay in action during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group C match between Paraguay and Panama.

Bahamas vs. Ecuador

Kyle Williams of Bahamas celebrates a goal during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group A match between Bahamas and Ecuador.

Switzerland vs. Iran

Noel Ott of Switzerland in action during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 quarter final match between Switzerland and Iran.

Bahamas vs. Ecuador

A Bahamas fan watches from the stands during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group A match between Bahamas and Ecuador.

Brazil vs. Japan

Rodrigo of Brazil takes a shot on goal during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group D match between Brazil and Japan.

Nigeria vs. Iran

Godspower Igudia of Nigeria reacts during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group B match between Nigeria and Iran.

Brazil vs. Japan

Datinha of Brazil signals to a team mate during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group D match between Brazil and Japan.

UAE vs. Portugal

A dejected Waleed Beshr of United Arab Emirates hides under his shirt after defeat in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 group C match between United Arab Emirates or UAE and Portugal.

Italy vs. Senegal

Abdoul Samba of Senegal looks on the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 quarter final match between Italy and Senegal.

Paraguay vs. Tahiti

The team of Tahati celebrate victory in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 quarter final match between Paraguay and Tahiti.

Brazil vs. Portugal

Mauricinho of Brazil battles for the ball with Be Martins of Portugal during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 quarter final match between Brazil and Portugal.

Brazil vs. Portugal

Torres of Portugal tackles Bruno Xavier of Brazil during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 quarter final match between Brazil and Portugal.

Brazil vs. Portugal

Be Martins of Portugal waits to come on the field during the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 quarter final match between Brazil and Portugal.

Current investigations include Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko for links to covering up doping cases. A judgment in that case could remove Mutko from heading the 2018 World Cup organizing committee, after he was already forced to cede his FIFA Council seat.

German soccer great Frank Beckenbauer and Olympic powerbroker Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah of Kuwait are also under suspicion in cases of suspected fraud and bribery, respectively.

Eckert and Borbely have been with the ethics court since a revamp with greater independence in 2012, and have banned multiple officials during the biggest corruption crisis in FIFA's history, including disgraced leader Blatter and then-UEFA President Michel Platini in 2015.

''It's not easy to take Mr. Blatter or Mr. Platini out of their jobs,'' Eckert said. ''You are thinking quite a long time, is it correct? Can we do (it)? Should we (do it)? It looks so easy and it is not easy.''

FIFA said that its ruling council proposed Greek judge Vassilios Skouris and Colombian lawyer Maria Claudia Rojas for approval by the congress of all soccer nations on Thursday. Borbely said there's ''no period of transition'' to the new ethics leadership for the ongoing cases.

''They do not have the experience from Day 0,'' Borbely said. ''You have to develop this practice, this knowhow. It's a question how long it takes for the new chamber to investigate these cases to the level that will bring the success.''

FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani called Eckert and Borbely ''unprofessional'' for speaking out, though neither has ever broken ethics rules by speaking on the record about active cases.

''It's time to give someone else an opportunity,'' said Montagliani, who leads the CONCACAF confederation.

Published May 10, 2017

ASSOCIATED PRESS