Qatar may be stripped of 2022 World Cup

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has refused to rule out a re-run of the vote to host the 2022 World Cup if allegations that Qatar paid millions of dollars in bribes to secure its win are proven.

Blatter, who is seeking re-election next month for a fourth term, said the whistleblower at the centre of corruption claims made by The Sunday Times had agreed to go to FIFA to give evidence in person and a full investigation would take place.

The paper claimed the whistleblower alleged FIFA members Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma were paid $1.5m each to vote for Qatar, which controversially won the 2022 bid in December.

The Qatar Football Association has branded the allegations as “entirely false”.

In an interview with the Press Association, Blatter said the notion the 2022 vote would be reheld was “alarming” but said the idea was “circulating already around the world”.

He said: “But don't ask me now yes or no, let us go step by step. It's like we are in an ordinary court and in an ordinary court we cannot ask: 'if, if, if'.

“We are anxiously awaiting for these evidences or non-evidences in order that we can take the adequate steps.”

Stripping Qatar of the World Cup would deal a blow both to FIFA’s reputation and to the Gulf emirate, which beat bids from the US, Australia, Japan and South Korea to win December's vote.

The decision to award the games to a tiny Gulf state with little football culture and a summer climate that can see temperatures surpass 50C has been widely criticised by the football industry.

FIFPro, the world footballers’ union, said in January that Qatar was unable to provide “suitable conditions for a festival of football such as the World Cup should be. It’s not sensible.”

Australia has already said it will consider rebidding to host the 2022 tournament if the FIFA executive committee votes again. Mark Arbib, the country’s federal sports minister, said Australia had been “disappointed” to lose the vote.

“We…believe if given the chance we could put on the best ever World Cup,” he told the Australian Herald on Saturday.