The true significance of investigator Michael Garcia’s 430-page dossier Garcia might only be seen once Swiss authorities have completed their work. It started with suspected money laundering linked to the World Cup bids and extended to other areas of FIFA business.
Around 25 investigations have been launched, the Swiss federal prosecution office said this month, using more than 170 suspect bank transactions as evidence.
Swiss investigators have shared evidence in recent years with the FBI and U.S. prosecutors who have indicted or taken guilty pleas from more than 40 football and marketing officials.
Russia has repeatedly denied wrongdoing since 2010, though the report confirmed that leased computers used by Russia’s bid campaign were later destroyed.
Staffers’ email accounts were also never retrieved from Google for Garcia’s deputy who oversaw the Russia section of a nine-candidate investigation. Russia had previously banned Garcia from the country over his prosecution of a Russian arms dealer in the U.S.
Both World Cup host nations could claim victory though neither can be sure exactly in which direction prosecutors in Brooklyn and Bern will head next.
FIFA forced publication of the Garcia Report on a rest day at the Confederations Cup — the rehearsal tournament in Russia to test its readiness for the 2018 World Cup.
"For the sake of transparency, FIFA welcomes the news that this report has now been finally published,” world football’s governing body said in a statement.
Garcia’s team found "no evidence” Russia’s bid team or Vladimir Putin, then prime minister and now president, unduly influenced FIFA voters.-AP