FIFA is to investigate fresh reports that claimed top officials were prepared to accept money in return for World Cup votes, Sky Sports reported Sunday.
An undercover investigation by the Sunday Times last week resulted in Nigerian FIFA executive Amos Adamu and Oceania Football Confederation president Reynald Temarii being suspended amid allegations they were prepared to take cash to guarantee their vote over who would stage the 2018 World Cup.
This week’s edition of the newspaper saw former FIFA general secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen allegedly tell undercover reporters what it would take to win the backing of some of the members of the FIFA executive committee who will vote on who should stage the 2018 and 2022 tournaments in Zurich on Dec. 2.
Zen-Ruffinen, 51, allegedly suggests some of the members can be influenced by money, another by “ladies,” while another was “the biggest gangster you will find on earth.”
Zen-Ruffinen allegedly adds that the Spain-Portugal bid to host the World Cup in 2018, for which England is also bidding, has struck a deal with Qatar to exchange votes, although Qatar has denied the allegations.
FIFA had already agreed to investigate the issue of vote buying after similar allegations last week resulting in the suspension of Adamu and Temarii, but these new claims pile further pressure on president Sepp Blatter.
A FIFA official confirmed on Sunday that the new allegations would come under the same investigation as the one already launched by the ethics committee last Wednesday when its chairman, Claudio Sulser, said: “We are determined to have zero tolerance for any breach of the code of ethics.”
The 2018 contest to host the World Cup is between England, Russia and the joint bids of Belgium-Holland and Spain-Portugal.
The 2022 race involves the United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Qatar.
