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MP wants copy of FIFA investigation into 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process

Image: FIFA: MP Damian Collins wants report published

Conservative MP Damian Collins has written to the Serious Fraud Office asking that it obtains a copy of the FIFA investigation into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup.

FIFA has not published the report produced by ethics investigator Michael Garcia, but Collins feels it is a matter which should be open to scrutiny.

''I previously wrote to the Serious Fraud Office asking if they would look at Lord Triesman’s allegations of alleged bribery around the World Cup bidding process for 2018, when England was bidding, and they did have a look at that but weren’t able to pursue it because of a lack of evidence,'' he told Sky Sports News HQ.

''If FIFA have more of that evidence, now this substantial report by Michael Garcia has been completed, then they should share that. I don’t think they should hold it back from international crime fighting organisations.

''We come into this against a background of a very large number of people.

''A third of the members of the executive committee of FIFA, who were responsible for deciding where the World Cups would be played in 2018 and 2022, have had to stand down from football under the shadow of some allegation to do with wrongdoing.

''There have been numerous allegations of former presidents, former serious directors, executive directors who have been involved in incorrect payments, improper payments so we are rightly sceptical about FIFA’s ability to clean itself up, to investigate wrongdoing and to take action.

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''So much store was put on this report and now it’s not going to be published, we draw our own conclusions about how serious FIFA is about reform.''

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