Days after a senior FIFA official said that an in-depth report had failed to find any evidence of corruption with regards to Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid, it appears the investigation is set to reopen.
Last week, chairman of the adjudicatory chamber Hans-Joachim Eckert, the judge tasked with reviewing a 430-page report looking into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids, released a summary of the the investigation.
Eckert said there were some concerns regarding the conduct of individuals during the process, but there was no evidence to find any country guilty of corruption.
However, hours after Eckert released his conclusions, the author of the investigative report, FIFA ethics committee chief Michael Garcia, released a statement lambasting the decision to close the probe.
Garcia at the time said:
“Today’s decision by the Chairman of the Adjudicatory Chamber contains numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts and conclusions detailed in the Investigatory Chamber’s report. I intend to appeal this decision to the FIFA Appeal Committee.”
Now, following a meeting at FIFA headquarters yesterday, Eckert and Garcia have said the world’s governing football body will further review the corruption investigation.
The head of FIFA’s auditing committee will now examine the full report and decide whether to turn any evidence over to FIFA’s executive committee.
Meanwhile, the officials said that the investigatory chamber has already opened a number of formal cases against individuals.
The people were not named, but could include staffers from the nine bid countries who put in for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups – which include the UK, US and Australia, as well as winners Russia and Qatar.
For its part, Qatar’s 2022 Supreme Committee said that it was “pleased with the conclusion of the report” by Eckert. It continued:
“We have always been confident of our position and stand by the integrity and quality of our bid – we have nothing further to comment on this matter and will continue to focus on delivering a historic FIFA World Cup in the Middle East.”
Thoughts?
This is an ongoing PR disaster for Qatar and I can’t see how they can escape censure on their bid. Bin Hamman is already banned for life from football and how you can say you most senior football offial was not involved in your bid? They must take us for idiots. Sheik Mohd the chairman of the bid one month before the vote said he was a key figure and mentor for the 2022 team. He arranged special visits for key figures on private jets, all expenses paid and then emailed the secretary General of 2022 with the information. Did the SG not read his emails before issuing his denial he knew nothing?
Again the original whistleblower from 2022 who made allegations and then quickly withdrew them is not under FBI protection and has reinstated her original allegations.
This is not going to end well and Qatar’s reputation is going to take further hits the more denails it issues. Sooner or later the truth will come out
All the adverse reports in the world on human rights don’t affect the Qatari so why do you think they’ll bother about bad publicity over football? I really can’t see FIFA taking it away from them now.The train is running and it won’t stop. My money is on WC2022 being in Qatar no matter how bad the publicity gets.
Don’t be so sure man… The FBI is on it. The report will get leaked in a way or another and when it does, MANY people will know things that they were not supposed to know. I think there is more than just bribing in here… When the FBI offers a witness like Phaedra Al-Majid protection from Qataris, hmmmm It makes me think that many Althani homeboys will get interrupted from playing with their toe nails while sipping their sweet tea in them wide colorful tents.
“Althani homeboys will get interrupted from playing with their toe nails while sipping their sweet tea in them wide colorful tents.” Racist much? Nice picture by the way, I guess we know where you’re talking from 😉
Ohh please, don’t use the Racist card 🙂
Most Althanis are honorable, generous and respectable people. Saying Irish people drink beer and yell and fight at boring bars is not Racist son. Racism goes way beyond describing ethnic practices in a humorous way. Racism goes way beyond that….
Let me guess, you think there is nothing wrong with a sports team being called the Red Skins?
Just because there are worse examples of racism than what you said doesn’t mean your comment isn’t racist.
Its not a world wide PR disaster though…Back in Australia…people ask me daily “How was your time in Dubai?” I say ” I was in Qatar” (thinking if I was in Dubai I’d probably still be there) . They say “Where’s that?”. And here I was under the impression that was formed by the way Qataris behave and think they are the centre of the world that everyone in the world knows where Qatar is and cares very much so, how wrong was I!!!!! Although I must admit every now and then someone will say , “Ohh yeah that’s the place that bribed its way to a world cup right?”..
Totally agree with that, and seeing as Qatar is a valued trading partner for many countries there’s not a lot of political will to publicise any alleged indiscretions.. It’s down to Andrew Jennings, the odd belligerent newspaper, local FA’s, a few football commentators, and people like me (us) who see the beautiful game disappearing from our grasp..
Barney Rubble: How was your time in Dubai?
Fred Flintstone: I was in Qatar
Barney Rubble: Where’s that?
and when asked you know Australia people say oh you mean the country full of kangaroos and drunken descendants of criminals and prostitutes?
whats your point?
Wasn’t Bin Hammam trying to to be elected as President of FIFA or something?
Yes and then Blatter hung him out to dry, same as his old friend Warner when he outlived his usefulness and it was now becoming apparent Warner’s corruption was about to be exposed.
Judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, who released a 42-page summary of Garcia’s findings on 13 November, said Al-Majid’s evidence contained “inconsistencies” which prejudiced its credibility.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/30122601
I would say Eckert’s summary contained ‘inconsistencies’ and it seems Garcia agreed with me….
I think we can all say, this is now one big mess and no one is going to come out of this looking good.
When can FIFA be labelled a terrorist organization?
According to BBC, when the majority of the EXCO are Muslims!
Got bored of this soap opera…
Same but it won’t stop until Blatter is gone.
Him and all FIFA cancer. He’s not there by himself, he has “supporters”
I agree. It is a little more than PR disaster I think. Qatar really screwed up this time and you can feel how during the last week or two, Qatar is more silent than ever when it comes down to defending themselves about the integrity of their Bid. It really is questionable that Qatar won that bid. Phaedra Al-Majid’s statements about receiving threats from Qataris and the involvement of the FBI on this came very unexpectedly. Also, apparently Al-Majid has some valuable recordings from high authority Qataris as well. This is not good because it will make the Emir himself lose a lot of credibility.
I really think that Qatar should just come clean and admit their wrong doing. Everyone does mistakes and yes, bribery will always exist in sports, but it is one thing to hand in a few Rolex watches as gifts, while it is a totally different things to send Millions of foreign currency for FIFA executives and then claim that the person who did that had nothing to do with the bid… I mean common…
Also, awarding energy deals to countries for votes and using the influence of owned european clubs and sponsorships also can’t help. Qatar really needs to focus on implementing basic human rights and fair rules and regulations before they host tournaments of that magnitude. I know it will break their ego to lose that tournament, but common this is a tournament to the fans more than it is for 200,000 people, assuming local women will be allowed to watch the games….
Integrity is not something the country is known for, particularly in light of its abysmal human rights record, all the while touting itself as the best example of human rights in the region.
I totally agree with you. It is just that educated Qatari people themselves are too scared to stand up and raise these questions. Qatar has a very dark agenda. No one knows what they really want or who are they really with or against. They seem to use money as the only means to get to anything they want to have.
Agree 100%
Very dark…I mean funding Sunni fighters (ISIL)whilst washing Obamas back in the shower is not going to end well any way you look at it…someone is going to feel betrayed…
But even if they are Not funding (ISIL), they still clearly admit that they are funding Hamas & other rebels. The very fact that Qatar declares funding people to throw dictator regimes, when Qatar itself has the same dictator regime is a big red flag to this story.
Now, history tells us that the US never in its history was a watchdog for someone indefinitely. The moment the day comes where USA congress decides to shift its strategic interest somewhere else ( and it has been discussed recently), Qatar will be in BIG BIG trouble. 200,000 unskilled, lazy people dressed in white against a jungle full of hungry wolves.
I just have a Bad bad feeling about a mega event being held in a mini-country, that MANY of its neighbors want it to not exist for long…..
If you think the Qatari regime is as similar to the Syrian/Egyptian/Libyan regimes you are really deluded mate. People in Qatar like the Emir and the State is striving to make it’s nationals rich and educated not like the other I mentioned which aim to make their citizens poor and stupid.
Funding Hamas is a totally different topic with varying points of view. To some Hamas are heroes fighting the apartheid, oppressive, murderous, terrorist state of what is called Israel. To other, Hamas is a terrorist, Islamist, extremist organization.
You are right about the US, they are only around when there is direct financial benefits and I my memory is correct they recently extended the contract to stay at Udied Air Base for another 10 years, which is till after the WC. So no threat of “hungry wolves” until then I assume.
No matter how dark the Qatari agenda is, I think it is just doing what any country in the world especially the US would do. Watching over their national interests.
Regimes and dictators are perceived the same way. People don’t love them. People HAVE to love them. I can assure you that many educated Qatari people or even Althanis do not agree with many things that go on. You are not in a position to evaluate regimes and dictators or even credit or discredit them based on what you think is a good/bad regime. Assad has many haters and he probably has supporters, which I am not one of. You just can’t fund rebels to kick a regime out when in your own country people get jailed for expressing their opinion. For all i know, Syria, Libya and others had no slavery or racism as much as Qatar, even though Assad is/was too ruthless and an extreme case with his citizens. But, If you think handing money equates freedom and lack of human/women rights “mate”, well then I congratulate your sublime subjectivity.
And about a possibility for a contract extension, yeah I bet the US will be very careful not to break these terms to avoid any sanctions or penalties imposed from Qatar on them! Just like ISIL’s threat to bomb the wc if it takes place in Qatar probably came as the Islamic state’s version of April’s fool.
I’m totally ridiculed how I am not in a position to “evaluate regimes” yet you can confidently “assure” me that “many educated Qatari people or even Althanis do not agree with many things”. I applaud you for your in-depth knowledge of the Al Thani’s and what goes around in the hallways of their mansions. Kudos to you.
I’ve never heard of someone HAVING to join the convoys during the National Day. Although yes speaking against the regime is punishable.
I urge you to educate yourself on the humanitarian situation of people living in Egypt and Syria before the Arab Spring and then tell me there was no slavery or racism. The only reason someone like you is hearing about human right violations in Qatar is because of the international tournaments they will host. Why doesn’t the media talk about such violations in India or Israel or some countries in South America? Because simply no one cares and thus these humanitarian organizations won’t get the exposure they seek.
Of course money doesn’t equate freedom, but I would rather live the life of a Qatari: wealthy, care free, having my country and economy on the rise, having some of the best universities, having a government that doesn’t tax my income, having free medical coverage, free utilities, free education, loan and dept pardons every few years, instead of living up to my eyeballs in debt, and being taxed for the air I breath BUT having the privilege to say Democrat or Republican.
And I take comfort that I didn’t have the misfortune of having been born either Qatari or American, so everyone has different points of view.
That last paragraph reminds me of ………….
Thank you for urging me to educate myself about the differences of Qatar regime and Syrian one. You seem to confuse wealth with education. Syrians, lybians, Iraqis, Lebanese, Palistinians and most Arab, non-persian gulf countries have a Way better education systems and the people are actually brighter and more civilized. Having top notch American schools in a place that values your bank account and your last name and the people that your dad knows more than your achivements will never defeat ignorance. Even before these schools sold their slouls and opened their doors in Qatar, Qatari kids were given FULL government financial support (100 % free living and education costs to study in ANY university abroad) ..yet what? Ask an average Qatari to pronounce the word “Pepsi” or to read you an English sentence. As to your argument about “stupidity” … hmmm hehe, I am sorry but half the Qataris are women…and we all know the level of knowledge, competence and rights they have compared to other Muslim Arabs women elsewhere… the very majority would make my blond ex gf sound like Heizenberg the moment they speak or use their very humble logic…
You should travel more man. Money does not make you better. When your parents raise you to believe that money can buy anyone and anything you want, then you can rest sure that kids will grow to be arrogant, careless and lazy. As to the brutality between regimes, well Assad tortures his people and burries them alive if they raise their voice, while Qatar imprisons peaceful poets for life if they raise their voice too. Would I rather spend my life in jail rather than suffering 10 minutes to die? I think not, but that is only me mate. Peace …
“Qatar has a very dark agenda. No one knows what they really want or who are they really with or against. They seem to use money as the only means to get to anything they want to have.” So, Qatar is Republican now?
“I really think that Qatar should just come clean and admit their wrong doing. ” lol sure, as soon as the other bidders come forth with their own admonitions! Would love to see the U.S., U.K, and Australia do that, along with maybe admitting that Bush, Blair, and Howard are war criminals for their invasion of Iraq? Yeah, not gonna happen.
Blair and Bush and Iraq…?
hehehh “wow”..In psychology, It is believed that those who use unrelated, tragic topics/facts, when confronted with arguments they can’t directly defend their views against are considered to be very weak and simple minded people.
In simple terms, try to defend your arguments with related material. It makes people take your words more seriously.
Some old, corrupt and senile guys warming their chairs at FIFA have taken the beautiful game of Football down the drain. How can Football lovers around the world allow a bunch of morons at FIFA to play around and bring the game into such disrepute
Let them have it…I’m looking forward to the total disfunction and mayhem that will reign due to total incompetence…fans with tickets not getting in…not enough refreshment houses fro Euro fans….etc etc etc…then the post cup fall out…like hang on we have 300k actual citizens but we build a city that can cope with 5 million…wasteland.
Blah Blah Blah Bribery…Blah Blah Blah Investigation…Blah Blah Blah changing time of the games… Blah Blah Blah more of the same old b.s. without anything of substance being reported.
reopen the investigation huh i guess FIFA can be bought by westerners 2
Bang on Brother! They are ALL at it…. but of course few have the resources at Qatar’s disposal. When it comes to a financial P*ssing contest…. Qatar will win hands down against most. It is rather starting to look like sour grapes, isn’t it? Shall we keep investigating, summarizing, judging and doing it all over again until SOME nations get the result they want? Just keep throwing the dice again and again until we get the “six” we need to win – or rather, for Qatar to loose?
I was as surprised as anyone when Qatar won… but to be honest… even if there WAS skullduggery afoot… so what? As we have said… they all do it so that’s not a fair criticism. As for all the other reasons…. yes, its hot… yes there may be …. “cultural difficulties” with one or two “social” aspects of the tournament… but lets be fair, they can be overcome, one way or another and we can be sure Qatar will do whatever it takes to make sure they are.
When London won the 2012 Olympics there were column-feet, never mind inches – of why they should not have done so… that they couldn’t do it…. that the UK didn’t have the resources… or the infrastructure… and weren’t even taken seriously as a “competitive” Olympic nation any more – look how that turned out?