Withdrawal
1. A member of the Ethics Committee shall decline to participate in any investigation or adjudicatory proceedings concerning a matter where there are serious grounds for questioning his impartiality.
2. The foregoing shall apply, in particular, in the following cases:
- a. if the member in question has a direct interest in the outcome of the matter;
- b. if the member has a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party; or personal, first-hand knowledge of disputed evidentiary facts material to the proceedings; or has expressed an opinion, other than as part of the proceedings in question, concerning the outcome of the proceedings; or when the immediate family of the member is a party to the subject matter in controversy, is a party to the proceedings or has any other interest that could be substantially affected by the outcome of the proceedings and his impartiality;
- c. if the member has the same nationality as the party implicated;
- d. if the member has already dealt with the case in a different function other than his function as a member of the Ethics Committee.
3. Members who decline to participate shall notify the chairperson immediately.
4. An objection against a member of the Ethics Committee believed to be biased must be submitted within five days following the identification of the grounds for non-participation, failing which, such objection shall be deemed waived. The claim must cite the grounds and, if possible, be substantiated.
5. The chairperson of the relevant chamber shall decide whether any such claim is valid if the member in question has not declined to participate of his own accord. If the objection is against the chairperson, the chairperson or the deputy chairperson of the FIFA Appeal Committee shall decide.