A SUM OF $2 million was sent to the 10-year-old daughter of a Fifa official prior to Qatar being awarded the hosting of the 2022 World Cup, according to Bild.
The German daily is publishing from Tuesday American independent investigator Michael Garcia’s report into alleged bribery and corruption during the bidding for the hosting of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
In an extract of the article released on Monday evening, the popular tabloid claims to have got hold of the report of more than 400 pages which has never been properly published by world football’s governing body.
According to Bild, in the report Garcia reveals that “a former executive committee member congratulated members of the Qatari federation and thanked them by mail for a transfer of several hundred thousand euros” just after Qatar was awarded the 2022 tournament.
“Two million dollars from an unknown source arrived in the savings account of the 10-year-old daughter of a Fifa member,” add Bild.
The newspaper adds that “three executive members of Fifa with the right to vote went to a party in Rio de Janeiro in a private jet belonging to the Qatari federation before the vote to decide who would host the competition.”
The Aspire Academy in Qatar, one of the biggest sports academies in the world, was also “implicated in a decisive manner in the manipulation of Fifa members who had the right to vote,” the paper adds.
Qatar won the right to host the 2022 World Cup in late 2010 and the result of the vote has been the source of enormous controversy ever since.
Following Garcia’s investigation, the adjudicatory chamber of Fifa’s ethics committee noted that there had been suspicious behaviour during the bidding process but not enough to call into question the decision to give Qatar the 2022 finals or Russia the 2018 tournament.
Garcia resigned as head of Fifa’s investigatory body in December 2014 in protest at what he described as Fifa’s “incomplete and erroneous” summary of his report.
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R.I.P.
@Mícheál Moran: awful news, heart goes out to his family
Tragic news. Thoughts are with his family. May he rest in peace.
That’s so sad
I just felt ridiculously sad reading that.. 41 year old former athlete. Cancer is so horrible, we all must know someone touched by it.
Terrible news. Why does life have to be so cruel to those so young. May he rest in peace
R. I. P.
Condolences to family & friends.
Very sad news. God love his family. No doubt he fought this like he played football… he gave it everything.
Very disrespectful to call him ‘O’Connor’ instead of his first name. Shame on you at the Journal
@Carol Cunningham: actually change my post to ‘Shame on you Fintan O’Brien’
‘
@Carol Cunningham: I don’t think any disrespect was meant. Usually sports stars are referred to by their surname.
@Carol Cunningham: calm down
@Carol Cunningham: Christ, you have a lot to be complaining about. Maybe just leave your sympathies to this man’s family and be done with it. A journalist calling him by his surname as would be done when he was a player is hardly disrespectful to the man. The piece is well written and strikes the right tone.
Clearly a good man in every field of life. Condolences to his wife and young children, it’s always heart breaking to see someone so young and strong taken from all that knew and loved him. He was a fine player RIP
May he rest in peace
Terrible parallels with the 1990 team. RIP Kieran. So sad this evening
RIP.
Rip kieran.all Ireland winner.
Jesus that’s terrible news. Saw him a good few times playing with cork & he was a tough competitor. Condolences to his family & friends at this tough time RIP
Rip Kieran. A gentleman.
Condolences to Kierans family and friends. So sad to see someone so young taken from us. Rip
RIP.
Terrible news. RIP.
A tragically young age. RIP
So sad.
Great player from a great club.
Condolences to his family.
R.I.P.
Terrible news.rip keiran..
Mo chomhbhrón
God bless good sir
Very sad News,fought hard tough battle with bravery & Grace,my condolences to the family & close friends!
RIP
Rest in peace .
God rest his soul and give his family strength at this difficult time rip.
Can I just say how much of a class act Davy Russell is.
Great ambassador for Cork Football and so sad for his family & community. Condolences.
R.I.P