Report: Qatar bribe to win 2022 World Cup bid revealed

Documents leaked to the 'Sunday Times' show that Qatari vice president of FIFA paid key members of voting committee in return for their support.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Qatari soccer officials pose with others next to the FIFA World Cup trophy following its arrival in Doha (photo credit: REUTERS)
Qatari soccer officials pose with others next to the FIFA World Cup trophy following its arrival in Doha
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Qatari vice president of FIFA paid over $5 million to senior soccer officials to win the World Cup bid for 2022, according to a report in the UK's Sunday Times.
The Times revealed that millions of documents leaked to the paper detailed secret payments made by Mohamed bin Hammam, head of Qatari soccer, to key members of the FIFA ruling committee in exchange for their votes.
Following the leak, soccer officials, politicians and anti-corruption experts called for the competition for the 2022 World Cup to be rerun, the Times reported.
Members of the Qatar bid committee denied any link to Bin Hammam. They said they had no knowledge of, or involvement in, any improper conduct.
Bin Hammam was banned for life from FIFA in 2011 after being caught bribing voters to elect him president of FIFA. The ban was annulled one year later after he launched a successful appeal.