2022 FIFA World Cup may be revoked from Qatar: UK officials

CAIRO – 5 August 2017: Senior British officials warned on Thursday that Qatar would be deprived of hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup if proven that the award was “not on merit,” as The Telegraph reported.

That point was stressed upon by Damian Collins, the Conservative chairman of the House of Commons’ Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

John Whittingdale, the former culture secretary, told The Telegraph there was “mounting evidence” that the Qatari campaign was “riddled with corruption,” clarifying that in case bribery allegations are confirmed, there would be a “very strong case for re-running the competition.”

There has been an ongoing criminal investigation into Qatar’s World Cup bid since 2016, which has revealed that former French President Nicolas Sarkozy “may have profited from multi-million-pound business deals in the country,” according to The Independent.

France was one of the key backers of the Qatari bid finalized in December 2010.

The same investigation contributed to the impeachment of former FIFA President Sepp Blatter in January 2016 “over a £1.3 million payment made to UEFA President Michel Platini, signed off by Blatter, in 2011, which they said was to settle a verbal agreement made 13 years beforehand.”

French authorities are investigating suspicions that Sarkozy may have illegally received funds through deals that took place in France, whereas Qatari establishments were a party, such as the selling of top football team Paris Saint Germain to a Qatari investment firm.