Fresh World Cup vote flagged
Will Brodie
May 20, 2011 - 1:06PM
FIFA president Sepp Blatter denied pushing for a delay in the vote. Photo: AP
The president of soccer's governing body has left the door open to a rerun of the contest to host the 2022 World Cup - giving Australia some hope that it may yet be a chance to stage the world's biggest sporting event.
English newspaper The Independent is reporting that an inquiry into corruption in the bidding process could force an unprecedented second vote on who will host the event. Last December, Arab Emirate Qatar won the right to stage the contest.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter conceded to the Press Association yesterday that there was a groundswell of support “circulating the world” for a new vote of FIFA's executive committee.
Advertisement: Story continues below
FIFA is holding an inquiry into Sunday Times' claims of corruption in the bidding process.
Blatter, who is campaigning to be reinstated as president for a fourth term, is running against the Qatari president of the Asian football confederation Mohamed Bin Hammam, who was deeply involved in his nation's bid.
England's Football Association has abstained from voting in that presidential battle, referring to a “well-reported range of issues” about both candidates. The FA report into corruption in the biddding process for the 2018 World Cup, which England sought, is delivered next week.
FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke and legal director Marco Villige will interview the whistleblower in Zurich, ahead of the FIFA congress to be held in 11 days.
FIFA executive committee members Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma deny that they were paid $1.5m (£925,000) each to vote for the Middle East state’s World Cup bid.
Former FA chairman Lord Triesman alleged impropriety by four other FIFA members – Trinidad & Tobago’s Jack Warner, Thailand’s Worawi Makudi, Brazil’s Ricardo Teixeira and Paraguay’s Nicolás Leoz – while he was head of England’s 2018 World Cup bid, claiming that they asked for cash or favours.
The announcement of the 2022 hosts was met with shock around the world. Qatar has a population of only 1.6 million people, and searing temperatures in summer. Those supporting the decision point out that the World Cup has become a truly global event, with recent events staged in Asia and Africa.
A whistleblower told the Sunday Times that million dollar-plus bribes had been paid to executive committee members involved in the 2022 vote.
Read more:
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/fresh-world-cup-vote-flagged-20110520-1evx5.html#ixzz1MrRW0GLf
