Under what circumstance can FIFA judicial and secretariat be held liable during disciplinary procedures?

The correct answer is based on the principle that FIFA judicial and secretariat officials are only held liable in situations of gross culpability. Gross culpability refers to actions or omissions that involve a significant and obvious lack of care or responsibility. This high threshold ensures that officials are protected from liability in routine errors or decisions made in good faith, as these are often part of complex legal and procedural frameworks where minor mistakes can occur.

In this context, if an official displays a blatant disregard for their duties, resulting in severe repercussions for the parties involved, that would qualify as gross culpability and hold them liable. This principle promotes accountability while also recognizing the potential for human error in standard operations, particularly in a discipline as intricate as sports governance.

The remaining options do not reflect the liability standards set forth by FIFA. Minor errors in processing cases or unsubstantiated external complaints do not reach the level of gross culpability, while the provision of inaccurate evidence may also be a result of honest mistakes rather than malicious intent or gross negligence. Thus, the liability framework emphasizes serious misconduct rather than a spectrum of all potential errors.