2022 World Cup: Qatar rocked by new corruption scandal involving ex-FIFA official

Qatar's winning bid for the 2022 World Cup has been plunged into fresh controversy following claims former FIFA vice president Jack Warner was paid millions by a company controlled by a former Qatari football official.

British newspaper The Daily Telegraph has reported that Warner, who stood down from his post in 2011, was paid $1.2million by a company owned by disgraced former FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam.
The newspaper alleges that one of Warner’s companies requested the substantial fee from Bin Hamman’s firm for work carried out over a five-year period until 2010.
That document is dated December 15, 2010, just two weeks AFTER Qatar were confirmed as the Middle East's first ever hosts of the quadrennial tournament.

 

It is also claimed a further $1 million was paid to Mr Warner’s two sons and an employee by the Qatari company.
Worringly, two separate documents obtained by the Telegraph give differing reasons for the payment. One says it was to  “offset legal and other expenses” while the other states it was for “professional services provided over the period 2005-2010”.
The Telegraph also reports that the FBI have launched an investigation into Warner and the alleged links, with the former FIFA official’s eldest son helping as a co-operative witness

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Qatar deny wrongdoing

In the wake of the allegations, a statement released on behalf of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy for the World Cup in 2022 says the bid "strictly adhered to FIFA's bidding regulations in compliance with their code of ethics."
The statement adds that organisers "are unaware of any allegations surrounding business dealings between private individuals."
The explosive new claims are the latest to rock Qatar since the Gulf nation was awarded the right to host football's blue ribbon event.
On Monday, Brazil legend Pele, a three-time World Cup winner, said the decision to award Qatar the World Cup was "difficult to understand" and claimed FIFA "doesn't know what to do" with it.

Controversy
There has also been controversy over worker’s rights in the country following a report by Amnesty that highlighted poor conditions for those helping to build the infrastructure for the tournament.
The debate over whether the World Cup should be moved from its traditional summer slot due to the soaring temperatures also shows no sign of abating.
FIFA have set up a commission to discuss switching it to a winter tournament and a November date, although Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa admitted on Monday that a decision is now likely until 2015.
"There are a lot of partners that we need to sit and talk with and find the best solution and I am sure this decision will not be taken before the first quarter of 2015," he said.
"The decision is to look at the possibilities of the timing, as we speak now it is still June/July but the aim of this task force is to look at the other options and the concerns that some will have."
Qatar officials are adamant that they can successful stage a summer tournament, but insist they would comply with FIFA's decision should the game's governing body opt to stage it in winter.


Disgraced Warner
The man at the centre of the new scandal - Jack Warner - was suspended by FIFA over corruption and bribery charges, again involving Bin Hammam, and was eventually forced resigned in 2011.
Back then Warner, who held the position of CONCACAF president from 1990-2011, was caught on tape apparently urging fellow FIFA officials to accept cash gifts from Bin Hammam as he ran against Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency.