QATAR IN ‘DIRTY TRICKS’ TO NET THE WORLD CUP

Documents ‘show it smeared rivals’ bids’

QATAR is facing fresh calls to be stripped of the 2022 World Cup amid claims it plotted to sabotage rival hosts’ bids.

Leaked emails reportedly say the bid team paid a PR firm and EX-CIA agents to produce fake propaganda about the US and Australia.

The alleged dirty tricks campaign involved recruiting influential people to attack their own countries’ bids to host the event.

Damian Collins MP, head of the Culture Media and

Sport Committee, said the “serious allegations” would breach FIFA rules if true and called for a probe. There were also calls for England to host the World Cup if Qatar is removed. England had bid unsuccessfully for this year’s event. Lord Triesman, former FA chairman, urged FIFA to “look at the evidence thoroughly” and said Qatar should not be allowed to “hold on to the World Cup” if it is shown to have broken rules.

He added: “I think it would not be wrong for FIFA to reconsider England in those circumstances.”

The Qatar campaign was previously cleared of corruption after a two-year FIFA probe. Documents seen by the Sunday Times, allegedly leaked by a bid team member, were unavailable at the time.

Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy said it “rejects each and every allegation put forward by the Sunday Times”.

STATE OF ART Stadium in Qatar