Allegations of corruption in Qatar's bid
Sports Journalist Asserts Corruption in Qatar's Winning World Cup Bid
By James M. Dorsey (Correspondent) on February 15, 2011
Qatar succeeded in winning its bid to host 2022 World Cup by bribing FIFA Vice President Julio Gondova, promising to build 22 stadiums in developing countries, and getting French President Nicolas Sarkozi to persuade UEFA president Michel Platini to vote on its behalf, according to a prominent German sports journalist.
Thomas Kistner, sports editor of the respected Munich based German newspaper, Sueddeutsche Zeitung, said he will present evidence of his assertions at a conference in early April in Miami on offshore financial centers and serious financial crime.
The sports journalist made his allegations in an email distributed by the conference organizer aimed at persuading readers to register.
Kistner’s allegations are likely to fuel mounting allegations regarding Qatar’s bid, many of which raise as many questions about FIFA’s bidding rules as they do about the propriety of the Gulf state’s winning strategy.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter conceded earlier this month for the first time that Qatar and Spain and Portugal colluded to trade votes for their respective 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids. FIFA had earlier claimed that its investigation had found no evidence of such collusion.
Some of Kistner’s assertions were reported earlier in lesser detail by The Wall Street Journal, which said it had reviewed internal documents of the Qatar bid committee.
FIFA has been hit in recent months by multiple charges of corruption that have already forced the suspension of two of its executive committee members.
Qatar, the first Middle Eastern country to be awarded the right to host the world’s biggest sporting event, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in pursuing the hosting of the 2022 World Cup.
"Accusations have surfaced that a Qatar bid adviser recommended a $78.4 million payment to Argentina for influencing the voting of powerful long-standing FIFA vice president Julio Grondona, head of FIFA's Finance Commission," the Offshore Alert Conference newsletter quoted Kistner as saying.
Kistner said Qatar had also paid the football federations of Argentina and Brazil, whose presidents are FIFA executive committee members, $1 million each to have their national teams play one another in the Qatari capital Doha two weeks before the December 2, 2011 FIFA vote on the hosting of the 2022 World Cup.
"Two weeks before Election Day, Qatar invited the Argentine national team to play a friendly match in Doha against Brazil. Few spectators were there, only football heroes like Zinedine Zidane and former Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta, each of which reportedly was paid $ 1 million to back Qatar’s bid,” the newsletter quoted Kistner as saying.
Kistner estimated $200 million was spent to get the bid, the highest estimate yet of Qatar’s total budget to win the 2022 bid and quoted “one insider” who asserted that the total cost could be hundreds of millions of dollars more if one included alleged incentives promised to various countries.
Qatar was competing for the tournament against bids from the United States, Australia and South Korea.
Qatar has never published the total budget of its bid, but past estimates have put its budget for marketing and event-related spending at $45 million, a multiple of the $10 million campaign spent by the United States.
Kistner said Qatar has promised as part of its bid to build 22 stadiums in developing nations as well as a soccer academy in Thailand.
"In another twist, France's voting representative Michel Platini voted for Qatar after being told to do so by the country's President, Nicolas Sarkozy, who has been close to Qatar since signing energy deals in January 2008, when he also forecast France-Qatar trade contracts would be worth ‘billions’ in the future,” Kistner said.
If true, Platini and Qatar have since had a parting of the ways with the UEFA chief who provoked Qatar by proposing that 2022 games be moved to winter to evade the Gulf state’s scorching summer heat and suggesting that other Gulf states be allowed to co-host the tournament. Qatar has rejected both suggestions.
source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/609941-sports-journalist-asserts-corr...
James M. Dorsey authors The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer blog
for those born as Americans?
Uranus1,
LOL
Qatartatta,
Uranus1 was just being sarcastic, as this type of reaction is common in this region when they run out of arguments (just like in Dubai in 2008 when they used to say that their major crisis was not real but an invention of the west and the result of their jealousy).
In fact, I generally feel sorry for those who were born Qataris.
"I think nic is just jealous and wishes he was Qatari."
Why? Why would he be jealous? Are qataris born with wings?
I think nic is just jealous and wishes he was Qatari.
s_isale,
Have you been screwed by a western?
It sure appears that way!
Your hate for west is so intense that you can’t discuss any subject without brings it up.
Man, grow up. Try to move on from your insecurity/immaturity non-sense! Nobody here said that what you keep calling the West, Christians or any other nationality or religion, are perfect. They are all human beings with their defects and imperfections. It just happens that we are in QL discussing Qatar related matters!
Move on, learn how to debate a topic and a time, stay focused and stop being that self victim miserable hater being!
Well, looks like all the countries in the West are immune to all sorts of corruption and so are the companies from the west isnt it? Its only the third world countries that are corrupt.
ex.ex.expat,
i agree with you.
they played (aka paid) it be$t!
I do wish the whole story would be laid out and witnessed but I don't underestimate Qatar's desire and ability to get away with anything. Unfortunately corruption is now the name of the game in FIFA and Qatar can always say they just played it best.
there's also an upcoming court case re corruption on the recent Asian games, was advised it was in an Arabic paper recently.
and momentum has already begun to strip Qatar of the 2022 hosting rights.
Great, great answer... at least someone here shares the same idea !!!
Qatar is helping spread this internationally unifying and cheering phenomenon all over the world, esp to countries that cannot afford to on their own.
Isn't this a generous and noble deed?
Shouldn't the country be rewarded for this willingness to spread the wealth and happiness around?
What are the much wealthier countries doing -- their aid is generally tied to create further dependence and profit monetarily in the longer term; Qatar on the other hand, is giving pure, unfettered help. These chaps are also doing a lot of charity apart from this.
i don't need all the luxury in the world... 10 billion qrs is enough...
There was bribe involved...thats a no brainer since day one.
Word of advise to all the drivers out there, keep a portable bed in your cars starting next year coz ALOT of roads will be reconstructed and guess who will suffer because of that. Locals no need to worry, cause for you, breaking into lanes or cutting someone off while driving is totally ethical for you.
lolzz
Saeed khan
I’ll be seriously worried if,
1. It’s first and last case of corruption
2. Concern is raised by people/society/country who doesn't know even C of corruption, I mean Mr Clean.
It seems, it's game changer and a new entrant defeated 'em in their game only and rest is all, as they say, is history. Few will surely cry foul!
I am, in principle, with full honesty, transparency but, alas, this world doesn’t follow me...!!!
(having said that, I respect the OP's right & sheer rationale thinking, love reading you mate, we don't agree though on our perceptions.. :D)
right or wrong, there will still be losers and will keep questioning the winner! It's politics!
even if he gets over it , the hate inside of him will eat him
I thought We won it fair and square.
Its awarded and over. get over it and move on.
2022. People behind it are also powerful people.
what happens if this is true?
BRA/ARG game in Doha was fully sold out and VERY well attended. clearly the person writing it did not research the topic enough.
s_isale,
where did you get that silly idea?!
all corrupt means are always wrong, no matter where they come from!
most of the bids are won through corrupt means. Nothing is generally based on merit.
It is bad if third world countries do it, it is ok if the so-called developed countries do it.
Hypocrites.
LincolnPirate,
they must really very few cause I can't see real see much apart from greed, hypocrisy, disrespect, abuse, aggressiveness, but hey I must confess that I haven’t seen all the hidden desert spots. Maybe, I’ll find it there ;)
Uranus,It becomes a Libel only if it is properly documented in court and consequently investigated, until then it is just slander or rumor.
Libel
noun
1. Law .
a. defamation by written or printed words, pictures, or in any form other than by spoken words or gestures.
b. the act or crime of publishing it.
c. a formal written declaration or statement, as one containing the allegations of a plaintiff or the grounds of a charge.
2. anything that is defamatory or that maliciously or damagingly misrepresents.
ru·mor /ˈrumər/ Show Spelled
[roo-mer] Show IPA
–noun
1. a story or statement in general circulation without confirmation or certainty as to facts: a rumor of war.
2. gossip; hearsay: Don't listen to rumor.
3. Archaic . a continuous, confused noise; clamor; din.
–verb (used with object)
4. to circulate, report, or assert by a rumor: It is rumored that the king is dead.
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Yes, nic. There are a few.
LincolnPirate,
have you seen anything islamic in this country?
At least they did not use taxpayer’s money to bribe, then why are people so bothered. They could have easily kept those petro dollars in their account. Most of the countries are corrupt and that’s how these so-called developed countries do business.
Before pointing fingers on others,look at your own country.
http://www.dwatch.ca/Clean_Up_the_System.html
Uranus1,
Most of the world believes that there were bribes involved because it was the case. No matter how common or discrete they have been.
FIFA's announcement was a terrible message to the world, setting a trend that would destroy the world:
Forget about competences, skills, achievements, don't bother to strive or aim for better because if you have money you can beat all the others.
Imagine a world only operating this way!!!!!!!!!
In any case, it's Unislamic.
polkadots--I think you mean 'libel', not 'slander'. And its only libel if it is patently and intentionally false. This article, while perhaps mistaken on some points, is neither of these.
Is anyone really surprised? It will be interesting to see how the PR machine handles this. Angry Qataris shouting everyone is just jealous isn't going to change world opinion. Nor will trying to twist and dissect the article. The fact is that a large portion of the world believes that Qatar cheated and these sorts of allegations are only going to get worse. Perception is everything at this point.
Unless FIFA owns up to this and is ready to re-look into it's selected bid all this slandering will just be washed down with the next rain.