--- title: FIFA Ethics Investigator Resigns Over Handling of World Cup Probe description: Michael Garcia says soccer's world governing body "lacks leadership" in grappling with corruption allegations. canonical: https://time.com/3639412/fifa-ethics-investigator-michael-garcia-world-cup/ author: Per Liljas article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-12-18T06:31:55.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T02:57:57.401Z article:section: Sports og:title: FIFA's Ethics Investigator Quits og:description: "My role in this process is at an end" says Michael Garcia of World Cup probe og:url: https://time.com/3639412/fifa-ethics-investigator-michael-garcia-world-cup/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte8813a16ae6cbc99/69876fb20b72e307e36dcb76/ap9610620549841.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: AP961062054984 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: FIFA's Ethics Investigator Quits twitter:description: "My role in this process is at an end" says Michael Garcia of World Cup probe twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte8813a16ae6cbc99/69876fb20b72e307e36dcb76/ap9610620549841.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # FIFA's Ethics Investigator Quits Over the Handling of His World Cup Probe > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. by [Per Liljas](https://time.com/author/per-liljas/) ## Per Liljas Dec 18, 2014 6:31 AM UTC  FIFA's Michael Garcia photographed during a press conference at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland, on Friday, 27\. July 2012 FIFA's Michael Garcia photographed during a press conference at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland, on Friday, 27\. July 2012Walter Bieri—Keystone/AP by [Per Liljas](https://time.com/author/per-liljas/) ## Per Liljas Dec 18, 2014 6:31 AM UTC FIFA’s independent ethics investigator Michael Garcia has [resigned](http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/30522170) in protest over the handling of his report on the controversial bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup. Garcia said FIFA’s 42-page summary of his 430-page report was “erroneous.” He quit after the world soccer governing body rejected his complaint, the _BBC_ reports. “It is the lack of leadership on these issues within FIFA that leads me to conclude that my role in this process is at an end,” he said. FIFA president Sepp Blatter said: “I am surprised by Mr Garcia’s decision. The work of the ethics committee will nonetheless continue.” Garcia’s report probed alleged corruption in the designation of Russia and Qatar as World Cup hosts in 2018 and 2022\. His resignation adds to the turmoil surrounding the organization. “We wanted all transparency but this is a new failure for FIFA,” said Michel Platini, president of the governing body of European soccer, UEFA. FIFA said in a statement that the acting chairman of the ethics committee would take Garcia’s place, pending the election of a successor. \[[_BBC_](http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/30522170)\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3639412/fifa-ethics-investigator-michael-garcia-world-cup/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3639412/fifa-ethics-investigator-michael-garcia-world-cup/"},"headline":"FIFA's Ethics Investigator Quits Over the Handling of His World Cup Probe","datePublished":"2014-12-18T06:31:55.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T02:57:57.401Z","description":"\"My role in this process is at an end,\" says Michael Garcia","url":"https://time.com/3639412/fifa-ethics-investigator-michael-garcia-world-cup/","keywords":["Soccer","Football","corruption","World Cup","FIFA"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte8813a16ae6cbc99/69876fb20b72e307e36dcb76/ap9610620549841.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Per Liljas","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/per-liljas/"}],"articleSection":"Sports","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte8813a16ae6cbc99/69876fb20b72e307e36dcb76/ap9610620549841.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"AP961062054984","caption":"FIFA's Michael Garcia photographed during a press conference at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland, on Friday, 27. 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