FIFA board members are expected to appoint an anti-corruption prosecutor today who will be urged to look into allegations of vote-buying during the 2018 and 2022 World Cup host decisions.
Allegations that both Russia and Qatar bribed their way into winning hosting rights have circulated since the countries were awarded the World Cups in December 2010.
The call to reform FIFA and restore its credibility has grown louder in the wake of numerous reports of corruption, including last year’s cash-for-votes scandal involving former Asian Football Confederation President Mohamed Bin Hammam.
The Qatari, who had planned to run against Sepp Blatter for FIFA president, was eventually handed a lifetime ban from the organization.
FIFA’s top anti-corruption adviser, Mark Pieth, told The Associated Press the scheduled appointments are key to modernizing football’s scandal-hit world governing body…
Pieth’s group has said the ethics officials must have authority to examine old cases, after finding that FIFA “insufficiently investigated” some allegations about World Cup bidding.
It looks like despite Blatter’s “case closed” declaration, Qatar, which vehemently denies any wrong-doing in winning the bid, may come under even more scrutiny before 2022.
