Convocation, Rights of the Parties, Hearings, Decisions, Communications and Confidentiality
1. As a general rule, there are no oral statements and the FIFA judicial bodies decide on the basis of the file.
2. At the motivated request of one of the parties or at the discretion of the chairperson, the deputy chairperson or the competent single judge, a hearing may be arranged to be held, to which all the parties shall be summoned.
3. Unless this Code specifies otherwise, the parties are entitled to submit written statements, examine the case file and order copies of the case file before any decision is reached.
4. Hearings are recorded and archived. Parties are not given access to recordings of hearings; however, if a party claims that procedural rules in its favour have been breached during a hearing, the chairperson of the competent judicial body, or their nominee, may allow that party to have access to the recording. Recordings are destroyed after five years.
5. The FIFA judicial bodies may hold hearings and take decisions in the absence of one or all of the parties.
6. If different proceedings are opened against the same association, club or individual, the competent judicial body may combine the cases and issue one comprehensive decision.
7. Hearings of the FIFA judicial bodies are not open to the public, except in cases of anti-doping rule violations by individuals if duly requested by the defendant and approved by the chairperson of the relevant judicial body or their nominee. In cases of match manipulation, the relevant chairperson or their nominee will decide about a public hearing. The chairperson or their nominee decides at their own discretion if and under what conditions a public hearing may take place.
8. At any time prior to the meeting set up to decide the case by the relevant judicial body, a party may accept responsibility and request the FIFA judicial bodies to impose a specific sanction. The FIFA judicial bodies may decide on the basis of such request or render a decision which it considers appropriate in the context of this Code.
9. All communications concerning an association, club or individual (including notifications of proceedings against them and the issuing of the decisions taken by the FIFA judicial bodies) are addressed to the association or club concerned, which must then, if applicable, inform the club or the individual in person. All such communications by FIFA or the FIFA judicial bodies shall be sent by the secretariat via the FIFA Legal Portal.
10. Written communications to FIFA by an association, club or individual shall be submitted via the FIFA Legal Portal. ORGANISATION AND COMPETENCE III. 36