FIFA to question leaders of Spanish and Qatar bids

The leaders of the Iberian and Qatar bids to host the World Cup will be investigated by FIFA’s ethics committee over allegations of vote trading.

The investigation was formally opened by Fifa’s ethics committee on Wednesday. According to Fifa general secretary Jérôme Valcke the allegations were first brought to his attention several weeks ago, and it is understood that information received from the Sunday Times investigation was also considered before the inquiry was launched.

The ethics committee will also have to consider what role may have been played by executive committee members allied to Qatar and Spain.

There is no suggestion that any of the executive committee members have broken any Fifa rules, and ethics committee chairman Claudio Sulser said on Wednesday that disciplinary proceedings had not been opened against any of them.

Valcke pledged to examine all allegations of collusion thoroughly however: “There is an investigation that will be led by Mr Susler, and they will have enough time to see if there is more than rumours and facts to confirm what is said about collusion.”

Meanwhile, Fifa will press ahead with plans to finalise the voting procedure for bids next week despite not knowing how many of its executive committee will be eligible to vote. Committee members Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii were provisionally suspended from all football activity on Wednesday after allegations that they discussed trading their votes for cash.