The organisers of Qatar’s successful 2022 World Cup bid on Monday “categorically denied” any wrongdoing, after claims by suspended FIFA vice-president Jack Warner that the country had “bought” the world’s biggest sports extravaganza.
“Qatar 2022 categorically deny any wrongdoing in connection with their winning bid,” the bid committee said in a statement.
“We are urgently seeking clarification from FIFA about the statement from their General Secretary (Jerome Valcke).
“In the meantime we are taking legal advice to consider our options.”
Warner on Sunday made public an e-mail he received from Valcke in which the latter claims Qatari Asian football chief Mohamed Bin Hammam “bought” the 2022 World Cup finals for Qatar.
Valcke, who admitted he sent the e-mail, wrote: “(Bin Hammam) thought you can buy Fifa as they bought the World Cup,” according to media reports.
Qatar to general surprise won the right to host the 2022 World Cup in a vote by the FIFA Executive Board in Zurich in early December beating off rivals such as the United States, Australia, South Korea and Japan.
Recent graft revelations that have rocked FIFA have stemmed from the race to host the 2018 and 2022 editions of the World Cup, the first of which was won by Russia.
Two FIFA officials were suspended after a newspaper sting found they offered to sell their votes, while England’s former 2018 bid chief said he witnessed “improper and unethical” behaviour by four FIFA voters, including the now-suspended Warner.
Bin Hammam, who withdrew from the race to become FIFA president on Saturday and was also suspended by the body on Sunday, was seen as being highly influential in Qatar’s successful bid.
But he and officials from the tiny, gas-rich country have always strongly denied claims that large bribes were paid to secure its shock victory.
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