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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014 SPORTS FIFA ethics judge Photo of the day hesitates on hosting of WCup GENEVA: For Qatar or Russia to be potentially be involved in legal cases aris- stripped of the World Cup, a key person in ing from the Garcia-Eckert probe. Eckert the legal chain needs to make use of the refused to say if sanctions were likely powers available to him. against some officials involved in the con- Events of recent days, however, suggest test, such as voting members of the FIFA FIFA’s independent ethics judge Joachim board or staffers from the nine bidding Eckert will interpret the rules more cau- candidates from 11 countries. However, tiously and have added to the pessimism Garcia’s initial investigative reports sug- of critics who want the 2018 and 2022 gested “conclusions concerning further World Cup hosting awards overturned. action with respect to certain individuals,” Eckert is a middle man in the process - according to a FIFA news release this between Michael Garcia, the ethics prose- month. Eckert said he expects to finish cutor who must provide the evidence, and reading these reports within weeks. Further FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who heads the drafts and evidence-gathering can be 27-member executive committee and ordered before formal cases are opened, Congress of 209 national associations. possibly in November. Defendants and It may fall to Eckert - in the toughness of charges are unlikely to be identified then, his verdicts and language of his final report and Eckert has suggested the first verdicts - to raise public pressure on FIFA to take the could follow in the European spring next highest-risk, highest-reward options in a year. By playing down expectations, the case that will define the reputation of foot- German judge was supported by some ball’s world governing body. established sports lawyers. “That is not our job,” Eckert said at FIFA One who has worked in past FIFA cases last Friday, when giving his most detailed agreed that Eckert could only target indi- insight yet on the investigation. “We will viduals, and not collective bodies such as not make any recommendations.” an executive committee or bidding team. Alex Sorgente performs at the Vans Bondi Bowl-A-Rama at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia on February 22, 2014. —www.redbullcon- Ever since a 22-man FIFA executive com- Eckert does not have the powers of “a tentpool.com mittee chose Russia and Qatar in December super-president or a super-ExCo” to change 2010, critics have sought reasons to justify decisions, the lawyer suggested. change. Their hope has been sustained by Asked if Russia or Qatar could lose host- reports and allegations calling into ques- ing rights, the lawyer said: “Personally, I tion Qatar’s fitness to host the world’s doubt that.” “The assumption that some- Serena follows seeds favorite sporting event: Voting collusion, thing is wrong was so strong,” said Luis bribery, rights of slave labor and gay fans, Moreno Ocampo, a prosecutor from extreme heat and disruption to European Argentina who was blocked for the FIFA club football have all been raised as rea- position in 2012 by the executive commit- out of Wuhan Open sons to remove the tournament. tee, when Garcia was appointed. The wait for a definitive independent A majority of the 2018-2022 voters were probe into the contests has been peppered also on the FIFA board that chose Germany CHINA: World number one Serena Williams with resignations of FIFA executive com- ahead of a South Africa bid supported by added her name to the list of slain seeds at the mittee members implicated in other cases Nelson Mandela to be 2006 World Cup Wuhan Open yesterday after the American was of unethical behavior. host, and then took South Africa ahead of forced to retire from her second round match The integrity of FIFA’s ruling board has Morocco for 2010. Both votes were dogged against France’s Alize Cornet because of illness. been lacking so often that it added to an by rumors, intrigue and - in the case of The top seed, playing her first match since impression something must have been Morocco - verbal evidence of bribes paid winning her 18th grand slam singles title at the wrong when those now-discredited men that was presented to the Court of U.S. Open earlier this month, broke Cornet to were power brokers. Arbitration for Sport. lead 6-5 in the first set when she called for the For those critics of FIFA, last Friday must A majority of the FIFA board who took doctor to come on court at the change over. have been difficult.Still, Eckert has more part in those World Cup votes were still in Williams sat solemnly, head down with a tow- authority than he admits to, according to office in December 2010, when the Qatar el around her neck and a thermometer in her some sports lawyers who talked to The vote was taken. mouth during the examination before making Associated Press about the blockbuster Most have since left, and could refuse the quick decision against continuing. case. Eckert suggested last Friday he is lim- Garcia’s request for cooperation. Mohamed The 32-year-old also had her blood pressure ited by FIFA rules to only judge individuals bin Hammam, Jack Warner, Ricardo Teixeira checked and walked slowly off court with the using evidence provided by ethics prosecu- and Nicolas Leoz all resigned while under help of the trainer, with reports saying she went tor Michael Garcia, the American lawyer investigation in other cases. to hospital for further tests. leading the investigation. “90 percent of the big guys have gone,” She had shown flashes of her usual brilliance It is, according to Eckert, for the FIFA noted one senior sports lawyer to the AP but looked shy of full fitness throughout her executive board or the congress of 209 about Eckert’s limited sanctioning powers. hour of activity on the centre court, with the member associations to decide if the inde- However, with some reform-minding lengthy 11th game, which included several pendent ethics committee’s work justifies newcomers at the FIFA board table perhaps deuces, proving particularly taxing as she leant voting again on which country should host the 27 current members could push for a on her racquet between points. the competition. Not necessarily so, some high-risk, high-reward strategy of a re- Her exit only added to the headache for CHINA: Alize Cornet of France hits a return during her women’s singles match against Serena experienced sports lawyers told the AP in vote? Unlikely, the sports lawyers suggest- organisers of the inaugural $2.4 million hard recent interviews. ed. A breach of contract case brought by Williams of the US at the Wuhan Open tennis tournament. — AFP court event, where top names tumbled in early tournament. One German who did make it highest seed standing at the tournament at “What is the point of an ethics commis- the Russian and Qatari organizing commit- action after the city’s tennis trailblazer Li Na sion if it can’t take the biggest political tees would likely go through civil courts, through was seventh seed Angelique Kerber, third, had a relatively easy outing in the day’s announced her retirement from the game last who also needed three sets to beat Kazakh qual- last singles match. The Czech world number decisions?” said one lawyer who has been not CAS, and embroil FIFA in lengthy, costly week. Former world number one and 10th seed involved in FIFA cases.”According to the actions with the clock ticking ahead to the ifier Zarina Diyas 4-6 6-2 6-4. three brushed past Italian qualifier Karin Knapp Jelena Jankovic was also forced to quit her sec- Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the 6-3 6-0 in just over an hour. — Reuters rules it is possible,” said another, suggesting 2018 kick off. “Those are the practical con- ond round match yesterday in the first set while that FIFA’s ethics committee can take “any siderations,” said one lawyer. Another sim- trailing American CoCo Vandeweghe 4-1. kinds of decisions.” The lawyers spoke on ply doubted if FIFA had the will for a fight The Serb, suffering a back injury, joined 10 condition of anonymity because they could like that. —AP other seeds in failing to make the last 16. They Matosevic upsets Kyrgios included Romanian world number two Simona Halep, who was beaten by an aggressive display KUALA LUMPUR: Austrlian Marinko move into the second round where he will Afridi among 12 fined from Garbine Muguruza to kick-off a second day Matosevic produced the first upset in the face Japan’s Go Soeda. Matosevic, whose last of upsets in China. Malaysian Open yesterday when he downed match was against Roger Federer in the US The Spanish 20-year-old smashed 34 winners eighth-seeded compatriot Nick Kyrgios 7-6 Open, was a relieved figure after notching a for being out of shape as she knocked out the second seed 2-6 6-2 6-3 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3) in just over 90 minutes. morale-boosting win against the home and set up a third-round meeting with Ukrainian Matosevic, 29, who had never played Kyrgios crowd favorite. “This is my first match in over LAHORE: Pakistan cricket authorities yes- including Test and one-day captain Elina Svitolina, who battled back from a 5-0 first before, found his 19-year-old rival’s hard-hit- a month since I last played Federer.