Garcia resigns as FIFA's ethics investigator in protest over handling of WC bidding report

In a protest over the handling of his report into the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, FIFA's independent ethics investigator Michael Garcia has resigned from his post, citing a lack of leadership at the top of football's world governing body.

Garcia said that he lost confidence in the independence of judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, an ethics committee colleague.

In light of the same, UEFA president Michel Platini said that they wanted all transparency but added that this was a new failure for FIFA, The BBC reported.

The head of European football spoke out as Garcia resigned a day after FIFA's appeals panel rejected the American's challenge of Eckert's summary of his report.

Garcia said that it was the lack of leadership on these issues within FIFA that led him to conclude that his role in this process is at an end.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said that he is surprised by Garcia's decision, adding that the work of the ethics committee would nonetheless continue.

The association said in a statement that an acting chairman of the committee would be appointed, pending the election of a successor to Garcia.

Russia won the right to host the 2018 World Cup, while Qatar was awarded the 2022 tournament. FIFA cleared both of corruption despite a series of allegations.

Garcia's findings were released as a 42-page summary of the 430-page report. He had stated that the summary was erroneous and complained to FIFA, which said that his appeal was not admissible.

In his resignation statement, Garcia stated that no independent governance committee, investigator, or arbitration panel could change the culture of an organisation, adding that his submission to the FIFA appeal committee outlined what he called the most serious failings of Eckert's response.

FIFA meets in Morocco this week and will decide whether to release a full, redacted copy of Garcia's report, the report added.