Qatar bids to defend World Cup allegations

The organisers of Qatar’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup have denied allegations that a senior Qatari soccer official made payments in order to win support for the bid.

In a robust defence of its campaign to host the event, Qatar 2022 criticised the allegations of corruption that have overshadowed the buildup to the Brazilian tournament.

“These allegations are baseless and riddled with innuendo designed to tarnish the reputation of Qatar’s 2022 Bid Committee,” said organisers.