Blatter: Fifa won't probe Qatar bid
Wednesday, 8th June 2011 at 14:30pm
Re-elected Fifa president Sepp Blatter has said that he will not initiate an investigation into Qatar's successful bid for the 2022 World Cup.
The 75-year-old, now in his fourth term as Fifa president, did add that he would not block the governing body's ethics or solutions committees should either of them wish to launch an inquiry.
Since December's controversial vote, Qatar's win has been subject to intense scrutiny from those inside and outisde of the game.
Many bid officials, players and fans were incensed that the tiny, resource-rich nation had been awarded the finals without any consideration given to the temperatures that will be encountered when the finals are scheduled to be held.
In summer in Qatar it can reach in excess of 50 degrees Celcius, which prompted former players Michel Platini and Franz Beckenbauer to express their concerns.
In recent weeks, the Qatar bid has been subject to a host of allegations that suggested that its members had bribed officials on Fifa's Executive Committee (ExCo).
Conservative MP Damien Collins and the Sunday Times newspaper alleged that two ExCo members - Cameroon's Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma of the Ivory Coast - had each been paid US$1.5 million (B45.5million) to back the Qatari bid.
The Middle-East nation's reputation then suffered another blow when suspended Fifa vice president Jack Warner made public an email he'd received from Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke that suggested Qatar had bought the victory.
Valcke subsequently claimed that he used the term "bought" in a casual manner, refering to Qatar's financial clout and not suggesting any underhanded tactics.
Blatter, himself cleared by Fifa's ethics committee after being accused of knowing that bribery had taken place and not acting, is said to be unconvinced by the evidence against Qatar but has given the ethics and solutions committees free reign to conduct their own investigations.
Opera legend Placido Domingo, former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Dutch footballing icon Johan Cruyff feature on the new solutions committee set up by Blatter in response to the allegations of corruption.
5 comments so far (click here to post your new comments)
There is something very fishy at the heart of FIFA. This document has been reported on the internet -http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/01/39/20/45/web_fifa_fr2010_eng%5B1%5D.pdf
It is FIFA's accounts. On page 83 it shows that salaries and wages amount to 65,280,000 US dollars. On the same page it reports that FIFA has 387 employees. That means they get an average of 168,682US dollars per head.
We can only guess how much Blatter and his senior officers earn, We have no idea as to how expenditure on personal remuneration is controlled.
Elsewhere in the report we learn about the following disbursements in millions of US Dollars: Financial Assistance Programme (FAP) 209, Contributions to confederations 60,Extraordinary FAP payments 144. Are these the source of patronage. How is the money spent and audited.
The trustworthiness of FIFA and Blatter need to be rigorously examined. Unfortunately, its voting cohort is seriously compromised. The losers are fans who provide the bedrock for our game.
Posted by Ken Bromfield on Sunday, 17th July 2011 at 16:57pm
Qatar bought this whole world cup bid by announcing they would build "air conditioned stadiums" and have them torn down and giving to other countries to build there football culture. Absolute BULL!! Australia in my opinion had fought very hard for this bid and the sport in the land down under is more passionate then most. Sydney olympics was named as the greatest olympics ever and that was in the year 2000. It is a real shame that footballs greatest event didn't make it to a wholesome sporting venue for 2022. However goodluck to Qatar, the world is watching.
Posted by Aussie on Sunday, 10th July 2011 at 21:06pm
It is a pitty that once Qatar does successfully build the stadiums for this event, where do the people stay.rnI have been to Qatar it is a huge sand-box with few palm trees, one city and in the future 10-12 soccer stadiums within a mile or two of each other...rnHow about night life... at least the USA has Disneyland for the kids and many cities desirous of visitation before and after the tournament.rnIf FIFA is looking for a dollar return, the US has given it to them once and it will be bigger the next time,Soccer/Football/Calcio is so much more popular now in the States.rnIf Qatar did get awarded the World Cup legitimately those voting thought little of the impact on the actual fans paying the money to go see it. A match and then nothing to do until the next match.rnSomeone spoke of al jazzera-- eave the politics out of this, this has to do with the love of the BEAUTIFUL GAME as Pele put it years ago. 3 plus 1
Posted by Fotografo on Friday, 8th July 2011 at 22:21pm
The USA had the HIGHEST attendants and the HIGHEST revenue of any World Cup EVER before or since!!! I understand passing it around but to loose to Qatar...PLEASE!!! 1 plus 3.
Posted by Joey on Wednesday, 6th July 2011 at 17:51pm
we need free channels to see world cup because of this our right and we need to leave al jazzera channels because this channels only dealing with reach people but we are from por catogreyrnrnplease care about my request
Posted by Alaa on Saturday, 2nd July 2011 at 18:51pm
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