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FA faces demand to hand over secret dossier on World Cup bids FA faces demand to hand over secret dossier on World Cup bids
(35 minutes later)
The Culture, Media and Sport select committee is to demand that the Football Association hands over any further information that exists within a secret intelligence dossier on other bidders drawn up during the controversial race to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.The Culture, Media and Sport select committee is to demand that the Football Association hands over any further information that exists within a secret intelligence dossier on other bidders drawn up during the controversial race to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Having received information from the Sunday Times about a host of unproven allegations that have swirled around the winning bids from Russia and Qatar since the vote in December 2010, the select committee published the allegations under parliamentary privilege.Having received information from the Sunday Times about a host of unproven allegations that have swirled around the winning bids from Russia and Qatar since the vote in December 2010, the select committee published the allegations under parliamentary privilege.
The allegations include claims that Qatar and Russia engaged in a vote-swapping pact as part of a huge gas deal, that the vote of the former Fifa executive committee member Franz Beckenbauer was touted for sale by two associates and that a Cypriot voter, Marios Lefkaritis, was wooed with a huge land deal worth £27m.The allegations include claims that Qatar and Russia engaged in a vote-swapping pact as part of a huge gas deal, that the vote of the former Fifa executive committee member Franz Beckenbauer was touted for sale by two associates and that a Cypriot voter, Marios Lefkaritis, was wooed with a huge land deal worth £27m.
The dossier also includes longstanding rumours that the Russian bid distributed fine paintings in order to woo key voters. The Belgian ex-co member Michel D’Hooghe has admitted receiving a painting but said it was valueless. The dossier also includes longstanding rumours that the Russian bid distributed fine paintings in order to woo key voters. The Belgian exco member Michel D’Hooghe has admitted receiving a painting but said it was valueless.
Qatar and Russia have strongly denied all allegations of impropriety and Beckenbauer, who it emerged last week was one of four current and former ex-co members under investigation by the Fifa ethics committee, has also previously denied any wrongdoing. Qatar and Russia have strongly denied all allegations of impropriety and Beckenbauer, who it emerged last week was one of four current and former exco members under investigation by the Fifa ethics committee, has also previously denied any wrongdoing.
Lefkaratis, whose land deal was previously revealed by France Football magazine, has also denied wrongdoing. Lefkaritis, whose land deal was previously revealed by France Football magazine, has also denied wrongdoing.
John Whittingdale, the chairman of the CMS select committee, said the FA still had questions to answer after the newspaper collated evidence from sources on the England 2018 bid team to compile its dossier. John Whittingdale, the chairman of the CMS select committee, said the FA still had questions to answer after the newspaper collated evidence from sources on the England 2018 bid team.
“The select committee will want to hear from the FA. We have questions to ask of the FA. If this dossier exists, we will ask to see it and we have the powers to do that,” he told the Guardian. “But even if it confirms suspicion of corrupt practices, then it is hard to see what more we can do,” he said.“The select committee will want to hear from the FA. We have questions to ask of the FA. If this dossier exists, we will ask to see it and we have the powers to do that,” he told the Guardian. “But even if it confirms suspicion of corrupt practices, then it is hard to see what more we can do,” he said.
The latest claims heap further pressure on Fifa amid the controversy surrounding an investigation by Michael Garcia, chair of the investigatory arm of its ethics committee.The latest claims heap further pressure on Fifa amid the controversy surrounding an investigation by Michael Garcia, chair of the investigatory arm of its ethics committee.
He disowned a 42-page summary of a 430-page document that was compiled by the Fifa ethics committee judge, Hans-Joachim Eckert, and pressure has been building for the full report to be published ever since, with appropriate redactions to protect whistleblowers.He disowned a 42-page summary of a 430-page document that was compiled by the Fifa ethics committee judge, Hans-Joachim Eckert, and pressure has been building for the full report to be published ever since, with appropriate redactions to protect whistleblowers.
It emerged last week that serving executive committee members Worawi Makudi, D’Hooghe and Ángel María Villar Llona were among those individuals under investigation by Garcia, along with Beckenbauer. It emerged last week that serving exco members Worawi Makudi, D’Hooghe and Ángel María Villar Llona were among those individuals under investigation by Garcia, along with Beckenbauer.
The select committee previously conducted an explosive inquiry into the 2018 and 2022 bidding process, under which the former FA chairman Lord Triesman aired claims under parliamentary privilege that voters including Jack Warner and Nicolás Leoz sought inducements in return for their vote.The select committee previously conducted an explosive inquiry into the 2018 and 2022 bidding process, under which the former FA chairman Lord Triesman aired claims under parliamentary privilege that voters including Jack Warner and Nicolás Leoz sought inducements in return for their vote.
It emerged shortly after the 2010 vote that England’s bid team had hired investigators to help compile an intelligence database on the other bidders and the 24 executive committee members. It emerged shortly after the 2010 vote that England’s bid team had hired investigators to help compile an intelligence database on the other bidders and the 24 exco members.
It was common knowledge during the campaign that overseas embassies and the Foreign Office were also helping to keep track of the flurry of speculation that surrounded the bids.It was common knowledge during the campaign that overseas embassies and the Foreign Office were also helping to keep track of the flurry of speculation that surrounded the bids.
It has long been suggested that Russia and Qatar used new and existing trade and diplomatic links to try to secure votes. On Sunday The FA moved to defend its behaviour during the course of the bid and during Garcia’s investigation. It has long been suggested that Russia and Qatar used new and existing trade and diplomatic links to try to secure votes.
On Sunday the FA moved to defend its behaviour during the course of the bid and during Garcia’s investigation.
England 2018 was disproportionately criticised in Eckert’s summary, which effectively cleared Qatar and Russia of serious wrongdoing. It said it had fully engaged with Garcia and had not withheld any of the intelligence gathered by the bid that had been requested by the investigator.England 2018 was disproportionately criticised in Eckert’s summary, which effectively cleared Qatar and Russia of serious wrongdoing. It said it had fully engaged with Garcia and had not withheld any of the intelligence gathered by the bid that had been requested by the investigator.
The England 2018 chief executive, Andy Anson, said that he shared anything he believed could be substantiated with Garcia and that everything else was “hearsay, gossip and rumour”.The England 2018 chief executive, Andy Anson, said that he shared anything he believed could be substantiated with Garcia and that everything else was “hearsay, gossip and rumour”.
An FA spokesman said: “The Fifa ethics committee made specific requests and responding to these requests involved searching in excess of half a million documents. The search parameters were established with Mr Garcia’s office.An FA spokesman said: “The Fifa ethics committee made specific requests and responding to these requests involved searching in excess of half a million documents. The search parameters were established with Mr Garcia’s office.
“The documents searched included intelligence gathered by the bid team. All documents within the search parameters were disclosed.“The documents searched included intelligence gathered by the bid team. All documents within the search parameters were disclosed.
“In addition Andy Anson has confirmed that any intelligence that he believed could be substantiated was shared with Mr Garcia in his interview and that everything else was hearsay, gossip and rumour.”“In addition Andy Anson has confirmed that any intelligence that he believed could be substantiated was shared with Mr Garcia in his interview and that everything else was hearsay, gossip and rumour.”