FIFA are facing fresh calls to strip Qatar of the 2022 World Cup after allegations of bribery.
FIFA are facing fresh calls to strip Qatar of the 2022 World Cup after allegations of bribery.
The Sunday Times reveal this morning that they have received millions of secret documents including emails, letters and bank transfers, which the paper alleges are proof that Qatari football official Mohamed Bin Hammam made payments totalling €3.6m to football officials in return for their support for the bid to host the tournament.
It is alleged that the 65-year-old was lobbying other football officials on his country’s behalf at least a year before the announcement came in December 2010.
The Sunday Times claims that they have gathered emails that show Bin Hamman paid FIFA delegates in Africa to buy their support for the World Cup.
Although the vast majority of the officials did not have a vote, they allege Bin Hammam's strategy was to “win a groundswell of support for the Qatari bid which would then influence the four African FIFA executive committee members who were able to take part in the election.”
Qatar strongly deny any wrongdoing and have insisted that Bin Hamman never had any official role in the bid for the 2022 World Cup.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter has previously admitted that given the World Cup to the Middle Eastern state was a 'mistake', due to the exhausting summer heat.