No Evidence Of Bribery, So Stop False Claims On Qatar's Right To Host World Cup - Envoy

By Tengku Faezah Tengku Yusof KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 (Bernama) -- Qatar hopes that false claims it has won the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup through alleged bribery and corruption, will be put to rest since there has been no concrete evidence after four years of investigation, says envoy Essa Mohamed Al-Mannai. The ambassador to Malaysia said that despite four years of investigation and allegations, there had been no evidence that Qatar did anything wrong. "We presented the best bidding file, and it was already accepted. It is important to acknowledge the fact that despite an enormous amount of speculation, we did not buy the World Cup and we played no part in the alleged collusion," he told Bernama in an interview. Allegations of bribery and corruption involving FIFA senior officials and Qatar were raised several times after the country was awarded the hosting right on Dec 2, 2010. The highest authorities in Qatar have categorically denied the allegations The envoy reiterated that Qatar played within the rules of the bidding process for the championship and had been very transparent. It had also complied with every request to help with the investigation until now, he said. He also said that as a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League, Qatar welcomed firm support from these two bodies amid the allegations. He said Qatar now needed to work and focus on the preparations for the World Cup. Al-Mannai pointed out that more than 100 sport events were held each year in Qatar and this demonstrated the country's ability to host big sporting events. He said that hosting the World Cup was an opportunity to build bridges between different cultures and to eradicate stereotypes about the Middle East. He added that Qatar was looking forward to show the world its famous hospitality at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, one of the most popular events in the world, which would indirectly expand the country's tourism industry. Football fans who will travel to Qatar for the game, can also explore Qatar's rich heritage and tourist attractions. On the preparations for the World Cup, Al-Mannai said that five stadiums were under construction, with at least three more to come and "everything is right on track". Qatar will also proceed to develop the cooling technology as promised, which is intended to enable players to play in a safe and comfortable environment, even after FIFA decided to move the traditionally June-July tournament to November-December during winter, to demonstrate how innovative its ideas can be. Qatar will be the first Arab country to host the World Cup and it is also the first time the World Cup will be held in the Middle East. --BERNAMA