Politics 'influenced' Qatar Cup decision
Berlin, September 19, 2013
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has said that the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar could have been influenced by political and economic considerations.
“Yes, there was definitely direct political influence,” Blatter was quoted as telling German weekly Die Zeit. “European leaders recommended to its voting members to opt for Qatar, because of major economic interests in the country.”
He said this when asked if Qatar had been chosen by world football's governing body Fifa based on considerations other than sport, a Sapa/AFP report said.
Blatter also said Fifa had set up a new, independent ethics commission to re-examine the awarding of the World Cup to Qatar.
