Fresh Corruption Claims Over Qatar FIFA World Cup Bid
London: Qatar faced growing pressure over its hosting of the 2022 World Cup Sunday after fresh allegations over the role disgraced former top football official Mohammed bin Hammam played in its bid.
Last week, Britain's Sunday Times newspaper said it had obtained millions of emails, documents and bank transfers showing that bin Hammam paid over $5 million from slush funds to win support in the bidding process.
Now it has published new stories based on the same information which claim to detail bin Hammam's moves in the weeks before the ballot as he sought to boost Qatar's bid.
The allegations come the day before FIFA completes its probe into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids, won by Russia and Qatar, chaired by former US attorney Michael Garcia.
One Sunday Times story claimed bin Hammam was invited to visit Russia's then prime minister Vladimir Putin to discuss "bilateral relations in sport" at the end of October 2010.
This was just over a month before Russia and Qatar won the bids.
Another alleged that bin Hammam helped arrange talks on a major gas deal between Thailand and Qatar during a visit to Doha by the president of the Football Association of Thailand, Worawi Makudi, in August 2010, involving one of his advisers.
Worawi was quoted by the Sunday Times as denying that the gas deal came in exchange for supporting Qatar to host the World Cup
He also denied receiving a personal "concession" from the deal.
Bin Hammam was formerly on FIFA's executive committee but resigned in 2012, shortly before being banned for life from football administration by FIFA's ethics committee.
The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy denies any wrong-doing and says bin Hammam "played no official or unofficial role" in the bid committee.
The choice of Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup shocked many observers due to its searing heat in the summer.
FIFA is due to hold its annual congress in Sao Paulo between June 9 and 12, where Blatter is expected to announce his candidacy for a fifth four-year term.
It was also holding a meeting of its executive committee Saturday.
It has not yet commented in detail on the Sunday Times stories.
Diego Maradona slams FIFA 'bribes' over Qatar World Cup Bid
Abu Dhabi: Argentina legend Diego Maradona lashed out at "bribes" within FIFA, demanding action against those involved in corruption claims linked to Qatar's World Cup bid, in remarks published Sunday.
There are huge bribes" in the world football governing body, UAE-based Maradona told Abu Dhabi daily, Al-Ittihad.
"Those behind them must be held accountable, especially in regards to the latest events related to awarding Qatar the 2022 World Cup.
"Where has this money gone, who received it, and why," must all be investigated, he said, adding that he had repeatedly denounced, "in vain, cases of bribery within FIFA."
Qatar is facing growing pressure over its hosting of the 2022 World Cup after fresh allegations over the role disgraced former top football official Mohammed bin Hammam played in its bid.
Last week, Britain's Sunday Times newspaper said it had obtained millions of emails, documents and bank transfers showing that bin Hammam paid over $5 million (3.67m euros) from slush funds to win support in the bidding process.
FIFA completes its probe Monday into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids, won by Russia and Qatar, chaired by former US attorney Michael Garcia.
"I hope football would go back to being a fun game away from bribery and corruption," said Maradona, who will be present at the World Cup in Brazil as a commentator for a Venezuelan television channel.
"It is unfortunate that there are footballers within FIFA such as (UEFA president Michel) Platini, who have surrendered" to such irregularities, he said.
Platini has attacked The Sunday Times for seeking to "tarnish" his reputation by drawing him into the corruption claims against the Qatar World Cup bid.
The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy has repeatedly denied any wrong-doing.
The choice of Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup shocked many observers due to its searing heat in the summer.
FIFA World Cup: Top Sponsors Press FIFA Over Corruption Claims
London: Major sponsors Adidas, Sony and Visa on Sunday demanded that FIFA thoroughly investigate corruption allegations over Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid, piling pressure on football's rulers over the scandal.
The three make up half of FIFA's top level sponsors and account for hundreds of millions of dollars in World Cup revenues.
FIFA's corporate backers rarely speak out on the controversies that regularly hit international football.
But their statements are a sign of the growing worries over allegations that former Qatari football boss Mohamed bin Hammam paid millions of dollars in bribes to secure support for Qatar's deeply controversial victory in a 2010 FIFA vote.
Adidas in particular expressed concern on the impact of football's image. Sony said the accusations have to be "investigated appropriately."
But FIFA marketing director Thierry Weil played down their statements.
"We are in constant contact with our commercial affiliates, including Adidas, Sony and Visa, and they have 100 percent confidence in the investigation currently being conducted by FIFA's independent Ethics Committee," he said in a statement.
"Our sponsors have not requested anything that is not covered by the on-going investigation by the Ethics Committee," he added.
FIFA investigator Michael Garcia, a former US federal prosecutor, is to finish his inquiry into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes on Tuesday. But his report is not expected until mid-July, when the World Cup finals finish.
Adidas said in a statement that it was "confident that the matter is being dealt with as a priority".
The company highlighted its "long-term and successful partnership with FIFA" but added: "The negative tenor of the public debate around FIFA at the moment is neither good for football nor for FIFA and its partners."
Sony was reported by The Sunday Times as saying: "As a FIFA partner, we expect these allegations to be investigated appropriately."
It added: "We continue to expect FIFA to adhere to its principles of integrity, ethics and fair play across all aspects of its operations."
- strong ethical standards expected -
Visa was equally outspoken.
"Visa does not take part in the administration of sport," said a statement released by the credit card giant.
"Our expectation remains that all of our partners maintain strong ethical standards and operate with transparency.
"We understand FIFA is taking this matter seriously and we will continue to monitor its internal investigation. We expect FIFA will take the appropriate actions to respond to the report and its recommendations."
Qatar has strongly denied allegations reported by The Sunday Times that bin Hammam paid more than $5 million (3.6 million euros) in bribes to win support ahead of the 2010 vote in Zurich.
Allegations of skullduggery have surrounded Qatar's bid ever since its shock victory.
The tiny Gulf state beat the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea, despite a FIFA technical report which warned the searing temperatures during June and July posed a health risk.
The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy insists that it won the bid "on its merits."
It has also said bin Hammam played no "official or unofficial role" in the bid.
The Sunday Times, which this week detailed bin Hammam's meetings with key officials ahead of the FIFA vote.
The paper alleged bin Hammam was invited to visit Russia's then prime minister Vladimir Putin to discuss "bilateral relations in sport" in October 2010.
It also said bin Hammam helped arrange talks on a major gas deal between Thailand and Qatar during a visit to Doha by the president of the Football Association of Thailand, Worawi Makudi.
- 'there are huge bribes' -
Bin Hammam was on FIFA's executive committee but resigned in 2012, shortly before being banned for life from football administration by FIFA's ethics committee.
Argentine football legend Diego Maradona joined the chorus of criticism against FIFA.
"There are huge bribes" in the world football governing body, Maradona, now based in the United Arab Emirates, told Abu Dhabi daily, Al-Ittihad.
"Those behind them must be held accountable, especially in regards to the latest events related to awarding Qatar the 2022 World Cup.
"Where has this money gone, who received it, and why," must be investigated, he said, adding that he had repeatedly denounced, "in vain, cases of bribery within FIFA."
Maradona also criticised UEFA president Michel Platini, who voted for Qatar's bid, saying he had "surrendered" to such irregularities.
Platini has strongly denied being influenced to back Qatar. The former French international has said a re-vote for the 2022 World Cup should be held if corruption allegations are proven.
World Cup 2022: Hyundai join calls for probe into Sunday Times allegations over Qatar
Hyundai have become the latest top-tier sponsor to demand a "thorough investigation" into corruption allegations over Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid.
Sony, adidas and Visa all spoke out over the weekend to say they expect the allegations - made by the Sunday Times - to be probed.
Hyundai are one of the six 'partner' sponsors of FIFA along with adidas, Coca-Cola, Emirates, Visa and Sony.
The Sunday Times alleges that Mohamed bin Hammam paid over $5m to win support in the Qatar bidding process.
The Qataris deny the allegations, insisting Bin Hammam was not part of the bidding team.
A Hyundai spokesman said: "We are confident that FIFA is taking these allegations seriously and that the Investigatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee will conduct a thorough investigation.
"Hyundai Motor supports football as a sport that brings people together all over the world and firmly believes the World Cup is the ideal platform to fulfill this objective."
Electronics giant Sony said: "We expect these allegations to be investigated appropriately, and we continue to expect FIFA to adhere to its principles of integrity, ethics and fair play across all aspects of its operations."
adidas said it was confident that the matter was being dealt with "as a priority," while Visa said it would continue to monitor the internal FIFA investigation.
FIFA investigator Michael Garcia, a former US federal prosecutor, is to finish his inquiry into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes on Tuesday.
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