Qatar World Cup
People celebrate in front of a screen that reads "Congratulations Qatar" after FIFA announced that Qatar will be host of the 2022 World Cup. Reuters

British newspaper The Sunday Times has brought fresh allegations of corruption against the organizing committee for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. The paper has revealed that in the coming weeks it will be detailing it's research, claiming that there are thousands of invoices, faxes and emails that which show exchanges between Qatar official Mohammed Bin Hammam and African managers who, although they had no official vote, could exercise considerable influence in the outcome.

Bin Hamman was a former president of the Asian Football Committee between 2002 and 2011 but was and subsequently kicked out amid accusations of corruption. The Times alleges he orchestrated "covert campaign" of bribes and entertainments for support towards the candidacy of his country. Qatari of origin, Bin Hamman distributed those five million dollars in order to seek support for the candidacy of Qatar and influence key members of the committee which consists of 24 members .

The Sunday Times reports that the files obtained after analyzing an electronic database prove the existence of ten seperate funds controlled by Kemco, the construction company owned by the Qatari millionaire, from which many payments were made as well as transactions in cash of up to $200,000 to accounts of the presidents of 30 African football associations. In a statement on Sunday the Qatar 2022 organizing committee stressed that Bin Hammam "played no official or unofficial role in the bid committee."

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