FIFA’s new prosecutor, ethics court judge to begin work Friday examining corruption claims

ZURICH – FIFA says its independent prosecutor Michael Garcia and ethics court judge Joachim Eckert will start work Friday when leading their first meetings in their new jobs.

Garcia and Eckert head a revamped, two-chamber FIFA ethics committee, which will deal with allegations of corruption in world football.

Garcia, a United States lawyer, will have the authority to re-examine previous cases. He is expected to study how 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting rights were awarded, allegations of bribery involving former presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam and a World Cup kickbacks case linked to now-defunct marketing agency ISL.

FIFA’s executive committee appointed Garcia and Eckert last week. Their initial one-year appointments must be confirmed by formal elections next May at FIFA’s Congress of member nations in Mauritius.