FIFA launches website for whistleblower reports

Zurich: Whistleblowers can report allegations of corruption and match-fixing in world football at a long-promised public website launched by FIFA on Wednesday. Alleged infringements of FIFA's Code of Ethics reported at the site will directly reach its lead ethics prosecutor, Michael Garcia, football's governing body said.

Garcia told The Associated Press last month that his support staff would see all complaints without being filtered by FIFA. The website, which operates in English, French, German and Spanish, is administered by an outside agency called Business Keeper.

FIFA said the project is part of its ongoing reforms to help ensure football stakeholders are "setting standards for legal and ethical behavior." Whistleblowers are advised to report "potential violations that fall under the jurisdiction of FIFA" - such as match-fixing and cases involving at least two of its six continental confederations.

Alleged infringements of FIFA\'s Code of Ethics reported at the site will directly reach its lead ethics prosecutor, Michael Garcia.

However, FIFA will take on complaints which a continental body or any of its 209 national association has ignored. "FIFA's jurisdiction encompasses misconduct that ... has not been or is unlikely to be dealt with appropriately at that level," the website states.

"Please help us protect our organization against harmful behavior," website users are urged. "FIFA is convinced that every individual can contribute to promoting transparency and integrity through vigilance and a sense of responsibility." FIFA also has created a private telephone hotline for football officials to report corruption and ethics violations.

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