LONDON — FIFA's decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar came under further scrutiny as a British newspaper published new allegations that Mohamed Bin Hammam used his wealth and top level contacts to buy support for Qatar's successful bid for the 2022 World Cup.
The Sunday Times, which last week claimed that the former FIFA vice president made payments totaling $5 million to senior football officials to seal support for the oil-rich tiny country, also accused Bin Hammam of using $1.7m to secure key Asian votes.
It alleged that Bin Hammam arranged government level talks for Thailand's Fifa executive Worawi Makudi to discuss a gas sale "potentially worth tens of millions of dollars to Thailand" and that he was invited to visit Vladimir Putin before their victories in the votes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.