Qatar deny Cup corruption claims

Qatar’s World Cup bid committee has slammed ‘distressing, insulting and incomprehensible’ allegations of bribery in a bristling statement.

The 1700-word diatribe, released on Monday by the Qatar Football Association on behalf of the Gulf nation’s 2022 bid committee, attacks evidence tabled in British Parliament by The Sunday Times as false and unsubstantiated.

The statement also pre-empts the expected testimony of a Qatar bid whistleblower on Wednesday, discrediting the unnamed witness as an embittered ex-employee with an axe to grind.

Earlier this month, The Sunday Times submitted evidence to a British parliamentary inquiry alleging that two Confederation of African Football FIFA executives were paid US$1.5 million in bribes in return for their votes.

The QFA’s statement attempts to discredit the evidence of the two reporters by arguing they were ‘posing as corrupt representatives of the United States bid and ostensibly soliciting further corruption from those with whom they were speaking, in return for substantial payments’.

“It appears that many of these individuals were simply seeking to impress the supposed US representatives and persuade them that it would be worth their while engaging them,” the statement read.

“Evidently, in such circumstances very little reliability can be attached to the words of such individuals.”

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has confirmed a former bid employee will be interviewed over the allegations on Wednesday, as part of a wider investigation into alleged corruption surrounding Russia and Qatar’s respective 2018 and 2022 winning bids.

But Qatar’s bid committee have already moved into damage control ahead of the interview, saying any evidence gleaned will be fabricated and worthless.

“We would caution anyone against placing reliance on uncorroborated statements made by an embittered ex-employee without a full and balanced understanding of that individual’s personal and professional circumstances,” the statement read.

Blatter has waded in to the growing furore, speculating that Qatar could be stripped of the 2022 World Cup if the allegations are proven.

The Qatari bid team have welcomed the opportunity to be exonerated by a full FIFA investigation, and said it is determined to rise above a concerted smear campaign and deliver a memorable World Cup.

“The bid committee welcomes a thorough investigation into the allegations made against it,” the statement read.

“However, such an investigation must surely only be carried out by a properly constituted body with due authority and independence where our side of the story can be heard.”

“It is wholly inappropriate for any examination of the bid committee’s affairs to be based on unsubstantiated hearsay and inaccurate journalism.”

“What is concerning and unfair is that there appear to be those who are unable to accept that a team from a country like Qatar could perform in this way and are ready – on the basis of no evidence – to assume the worst.”

“Qatar is excited at the prospect of hosting one of the world’s greatest sporting events and is determined to deliver a World Cup truly deserving of football fans around the world.”