Emirates disappointed over FIFA allegations
Reuters - Tuesday 31 May 2011, 09:56
DUBAI - Emirates airline , a
sponsor of FIFA tournaments including the World Cup, said it was
disappointed by the corruption scandal that has erupted at world football's governing body.
"Emirates, like all football fans around the world, is
disappointed with the issues that are currently surrounding the
administration of the sport," Boutros Boutros, Emirates'
divisional senior vice president for corporate communications,
said in an emailed statement to Reuters.
The airline's partnership with FIFA started with the 2006
World Cup in Germany and its contract as an official sponsor
runs until the end of the 2014 tournament in Brazil.
"We hope that these issues will be resolved as soon as
possible and the outcome will be in the interest of the game and
sport in general," Boutros added.
The statement did not clarify if the airline was reviewing
its association with FIFA.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter, facing a deepening corruption
scandal including accusations that Qatar 'bought' the right to
host the 2022 World Cup, denied there was a crisis and described
the problems as local difficulties on Monday.
Blatter is scheduled to stand unopposed for a fourth term at
a FIFA election on Wednesday after his only rival in the vote,
Asian football chief Mohamed bin Hammam, withdrew on Sunday and
was later suspended by the body's ethics committee amid
cash-for-votes allegations.
However, anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International
called on the football governing body to call off the elections
on Tuesday and the English Football Association asked FIFA to
postpone the vote because of the ongoing crisis.
Emirates's comments follow those made on Monday by corporate
sponsors Coca-Cola Co and German sportswear maker Adidas, who warned concern about allegations of corruption
within FIFA could harm the game.