Qatar 2022 denies "baseless" bribery allegations

By Andrew Warshaw

May 10 – Qatar’s 2022 World Cup organisers wasted no time tonight categorically denying explosive reports that it paid bribes to two members of the FIFA Executive Committee to support its bid.

A British Parliamentary inquiry revealed that two African FIFA Executive Committee members, African Football Confederation (CAF) chief Issa Hayatou of Cameroon and Jacques Anouma of the Ivory Coast, received a staggering $1.5 (£917,000).

But in a swift statement released by the Qatar Football Association, partially acting for the bid committee, claimedthe allegations were baseless.

“The Qatar Football Association is disappointed by the publication today on the UK Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee website of evidence provided to the Committee by The Sunday Times which contains serious and baseless allegations against us,” the statement said.

“We categorically deny these allegations.”

Qatar was haunted by allegations of collusion for months in the build-up to the World Cup ballot in December.

The accusations were thrown out by FIFA’s Ethics Committee through lack of firm evidence but the new revelations – published on the British Government’s website rather than in a newspaper albeit only after receiving assistance from the Sunday Times – heaps even more suspicion on to the Gulf state.

But the Qataris were unequivocal in their disdain for the latest accusations.

“FIFA’s Ethics Committee investigated certain allegations, and entirely exonerated the Qatar 2022 bid,” they said.

“We have nothing to hide and are prepared to support and cooperate with any further investigations and will be happy to counter any allegations from whistleblowers with real evidence.

“We were beset by rumours and allegations from the outset.

Bidding, like football, is a rough sport.

“Happily, our promise of bringing football to new lands and expanding its legacies across the developing world compelled FIFA.”

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