LONDON (AP) ― FIFA’s decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar came under further scrutiny as a British newspaper published new allegations that Mohamed bin Hammam used his wealth and top level contacts to buy support for the oil-rich country’s successful bid.
The Sunday Times, which last week claimed that the former FIFA vice president made payments totaling $5 million to senior football officials to seal support for Qatar, also accused Bin Hammam of using $1.7 million to secure key Asian votes.
It alleged that bin Hammam arranged government level talks for Thailand’s FIFA executive Worawi Makudi to discuss a gas sale “potentially worth tens of millions of dollars to Thailand” and that he was invited to visit Vladimir Putin before Russia and Qatar’s victories in the votes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
