Whistleblower says Fifa dismissal ‘emblematic of its culture of self-protection’

The Fifa whistleblower who said her confidentiality had been breached and her safety compromised by its investigation into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups has called its dismissal of her complaint "a transparent avoidance of a clear violation of its own rules".

Both Phaedra Almajid, who worked on Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid, and Bonita Mersiades, a member of the Australia 2022 bid team, complained to Fifa's disciplinary committee in the wake of the publication of Hans-Joachim Eckert's disputed summary of Michael Garcia's investigation. But the disciplinary committee ruled on Tuesday that there was no case to answer.

"I cooperated with Mr Garcia's investigation for over two and a half years under a clear, unqualified promise of confidentiality. He asked me for my confidentiality and repeatedly promised me mine," said Almajid. "I kept my promise. Herr Eckert breached that confidentiality. I did not. The disciplinary committee's avoidance of this undisputable violation is emblematic of its culture of self-protection."

Eckert not only dismissed their evidence but effectively identified them, despite the need to maintain the confidentiality of witnesses being the main argument employed in favour of publishing a summary rather than the entire report.

Fifa said the pair had effectively waived their right to anonymity by going public with their “own media activities long before the publication” of the report summary.

Almajid, who claimed her safety and that of her family had been compromised by the Garcia process, said that was an “obvious dodge”. “My public statements were all made long before I entered into a confidentiality agreement with Mr Garcia. I made no public statements during the entire period of Mr Garcia’s investigation,” she said.

“I relied on Fifa’s promise of confidentiality and continued to honour my promise until Herr Eckert published his ‘summary’. My recent public statements have only been made after Herr Eckert’s identification of me in blatant violation of Fifa confidentiality rules.”

Eckert's 42-page summary of Garcia's 430-page report, which effectively cleared the 2018 hosts Russia and 2022 hosts Qatar of serious wrongdoing, did not name either woman. But both argued that its description of them made them easy to identify.

Almajid worked on the Qatar bid in a senior communications role and was behind allegations aired under parliamentary privilege that the African Fifa executives Issa Hayatou, Jacques Anouma and Amos Adamu were given $1.5m each to vote for Qatar. The three have denied the allegations, as has the Qatar bid committee.

She later retracted the claim but has said she agreed to do so only under duress after the Qatar organising committee said it would not bring legal action against her for breaching a confidentiality clause in her contract if she signed a sworn statement.

There also appears to be a discrepancy between the reasons Fifa gave for dismissing her complaint in its media release and those in a letter to Almajid, in which it effectively states that she is not entitled to complain because she is no longer working in football.

Almajid said her treatment was another blow to Fifa’s credibility, ahead of this week’s executive committee meeting at which members will vote over whether the Garcia report should be released in full.

“The disciplinary committee’s decision today is one more example of an organisation whose rules are mere formalities meaning nothing,” she said. “Woe be to any other person who cares enough to risk personal safety to report Fifa corruption.”