FIFA Scandal: New Allegations Against Russia, Qatar World Cup Bids

Fresh allegations of corruption have emerged against football governing body FIFA in relation to the controversial bidding processes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments, to be held in Russia and Qatar respectively, it was reported on Sunday.

The UK’s Sunday Times newspaper said that it has submitted previously unpublished material providing further details of the allegations to a House of Commons committee.

The new material reportedly discloses details about how votes were allegedly bought and sold prior to the December 2010 poll, stating that Qatar’s dominance in the LNG industry helped it win votes through bilateral trade deals.

It also alleges that Russian President Vladimir Putin was involved in securing the winning bid and that the country gifted UEFA president Michel Platini a Picasso painting.

The report said the material was compiled from senior sources at England’s Football Association, who were involved in England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup. They reportedly gathered the data from private companies, British embassies, and former MI6 agents.

However no supporting evidence has been provided by the paper, reported the BBC.

The Sunday Times has previously published several reports alleging Qatar and Russia of bribing FIFA officials to win the bids.

Qatar has repeatedly denied all corruption allegations.

Earlier this month, following an 18-month investigation, FIFA’s ethics committee ruled out any grounds for reopening the bidding process, stating said that “the various incidents which might have occurred are not suited to compromise the integrity of the FIFA World Cup 2018/2022 bidding process as a whole.”

However, investigator Michael Garcia hit out at the ethics committee, saying its report contained misrepresentations.