December 23 – The failed Dutch-Belgian bid for the 2018 World Cup is to be submitted for a FIFA Ethics Committee inquiry following newspaper allegations of possible vote buying.
The Dutch FA says it has also ordered an independent forensic audit after its own team had found no evidence of wrongdoing.
Earlier this month, the Dutch daily De Volkskrant claimed the Netherlands and Belgium bid paid a lobbyist who was closely linked to disgraced former FIFA vice-president Mohamed bin Hammam to help garner votes. Based on documents De Volkskrant says it had in its possession, Amadou Diallo was paid at least €10,000 the year before the 2010 ballot for his services. Bin Hammam was suspended by FIFA in 2011 over the infamous Caribbean cash-for-votes scandal, then later banned for life for financial misconduct while president of the Asian Football Confederation.
In a statement the Dutch FA said it was waiting for information from its Belgian counterpart “to get the complete picture” but that it would “turn to the ethics committee of FIFA, which previously evaluated the Holland-Belgium bid and which was also subjected to integrity checks” as part of the Michael Garcia inquiry into the entire 2018 and 2022 bid process.
“[To ensure] completeness and accuracy the KNVB wants this to be checked by an external audit firm. It is expected that this process will be completed in the first quarter of 2016. When the independent investigation is completed, the KNVB will report back.”
The joint bid, which cost €10 million, went up against another joint effort from Portugal and Spain plus England and eventual winners Russia. England were eliminated after the first round and the Dutch-Belgian bid finished third in the second round, won by the Russians.
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