FIFA to question Qatar 2022 whistleblower
Reuters - Thursday 19 May 2011, 10:38
ZURICH - FIFA will interview a
whistleblower at the centre of newspaper allegations that Qatar
paid two members of the executive committee to vote for their
bid to host the 2022 World Cup, Sepp Blatter said on Thursday.
The FIFA president, bidding to be re-elected for a fourth
term on June 1, also refused to rule out the possibility of
re-staging the vote, won by Qatar, should the allegations turn
out to be true.
"We have organised and the newspaper have agreed (that) we
will bring this whistleblower to Zurich and then we will have a
discussion, an investigation," Blatter told reporters.
Last Tuesday, a British parliamentary inquiry into why
England failed to secure the 2018 finals was told by member of
parliament Damian Collins there was evidence from the Sunday
Times newspaper that Issa Hayatou of Cameroon and Jacques Anouma
of the Ivory Coast were paid by Qatar.
Qatar, chosen in December to host the 2022 World Cup ahead
of United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea, have
categorically denied the allegations as have Hayatou and Anouma.
Asked if that Qatar hosting decision could be reversed,
Blatter replied: "This is an idea circulating already around the
world which is alarming.
"Don't ask me yes or no, let us go step by step."
NOT IDENTIFIED
"I haven't identified the general whistleblower, for the
time being, we have no name - if it is man, or woman," said
Blatter.
"It will be the relevant authorities in FIFA which handles
such cases, the secretary general (Jerome Valcke). We have to
deal with this matter and solve this matter in the Congress."
Blatter, who stands for re-election against Asian football
chief Mohamed Bin Hammam at the Congress, said FIFA wanted the
matter clarified by the end of next week.
"We must know if the allegations are true or not true or
unproven. If they are not true, then this case is over," he
said.
"Then we will see which instrument will work, it is of
paramount importance that we have this situation clarified on
the 27th.
"The (FIFA) ethics committee is already alerted and alarmed
- they are not just lying on the beach - and the members will
come for the congress and can convene at very short notice."
At the same UK parliamentary inquiry, former English
Football Association chairman David Triesman accused FIFA Executive Committee members Jack Warner, Ricardo Teixeira,
Nicolas Leoz and Worawi Makudi of asking for favours in return
for their votes for England's 2018 World Cup bid.
UK Sports Minister Hugh Robertson hinted to BBC radio the
following day that national associations may consider breaking
away from FIFA if the world governing body does not act on the
stream of allegations.
Blatter said he had received a letter from CONCACAF
president Warner promising the North, Central America and
Caribbean confederation's support in the election.
Blatter has already received backing from Europe, South
America, Africa and Oceania although their national federations - who hold one vote each - can vote for whom the want.