2022 World Cup host Qatar stays silent on FIFA probes
May 28, 2015, 7:36 AM
FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013, file photo, FIFA President Sepp Blatter, right, shakes hands with Sheik Mohammed bin Hamad al-Thani, chairman of Qatar 2022 bid committee, at a press conference in Doha, Qatar. Qatar is keeping quiet about the American and Swiss raids that have rocked football's world governing body FIFA and thrown a new unwelcome spotlight on the tiny Gulf nation's hosting of the 2022 World Cup. (AP Photo/Osama Faisal, File)
(AP Photo/Osama Faisal, File)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Qatar is keeping quiet about the American and Swiss raids that have rocked FIFA and thrown another unwelcome spotlight on the tiny Gulf nation’s hosting of the 2022 World Cup.
The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, which is leading Qatar’s development of World Cup venues and other projects, has so far declined repeated requests to comment since the investigations became public on Wednesday. So has Qatar’s government.
The silence stands in sharp contrast to comments by Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country will host the World Cup four years before Qatar. He accused the U.S. of meddling in FIFA’s affairs.
Swiss investigators are pursuing an investigation into the decisions to award the World Cups to Russia and Qatar.
Qatar’s leadership sees the hosting of international sporting events, including the 2006 Asian Games and 2011 Asian Cup in soccer, as a way to boost the country’s standing on the global stage.
The energy-rich country earlier this month played host to a Diamond League track meet, and will host the world athletics championships in 2019. Qatar hasn’t ruled out making another Olympic bid after failing to secure the 2020 Games.
Although FIFA spokesman Walter de Gregorio said there will be no re-vote for hosting of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, the investigations nonetheless increase the pressure on Qatar. Its winning bid has been assailed by critics over a host of issues ranging from allegations of corruption to questions over migrant workers.
Organizers have denied wrongdoing, but World Cup sponsors Adidas, Coca-Cola and Visa last week publicly pressured FIFA to push Qatar harder on improving working conditions, with Visa saying it has expressed “grave concern” about labor conditions.
___
Follow Adam Schreck on Twitter at www.twitter.com/adamschreck
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
