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2022 World Cup bidding process not level playing field

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-26 10:29

CANBERRA - Football Federation Australia (FFA) chairman Frank Lowy on Wednesday said that the 2022 World Cup bidding process was not a level playing field, and he believed that there will be more fallout over the World Cup bid corruption allegations leveled at FIFA executives.

Earlier, Qatar has been accused of paying bribes of $1.5 million to FIFA vice-president Issa Hayatou from Cameroon and Ivory Coast delegate Jacques Anouma to vote for its bid.

Related readings:  FIFA steps up fight against match-fixing  British sports chief discusses breaking away from FIFA  6 FIFA members accused of wrongdoing in Cup bids

A British parliamentary inquiry was told earlier this month that they were among six FIFA executive committee members accused of receiving or asking for bribes during the bidding.

Qatar's FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam has denied both the allegations of vote-buying, and that FIFA is corrupt.

However, the bidding process has become the center of explosive claims accusing committee members sold their votes.

Lowy said most of his thoughts about the bidding process were "not fit for publication".

"I think it is becoming evident to all of us that it was not a level playing field that we participated in and that seems to be coming through," Lowy told ABC Sports on Wednesday.

"The country (Australia) paid $49.4 million. We have spent an enormous amount of time and energy and to come away with very little is very, very disappointing.

"I think the last word has not been heard about this."

But Lowy said he has no evidence to say the bidding process was corrupt, "but I think there are a lot of questions about the process".

Australia has invested $49.4 million on the failed bid to host the World Cup 2022 finals. However, the country has earned just one vote among FIFA's 24-man executive committee.