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Blatter: Attacks on Qatar 2022 are ‘racist’

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has claimed that corruption claims concerning the Qatar 2022 World Cup bid are racist. Qatar was chosen to host the tournament in December 2010, but FIFA has begun an internal inquiry after corruption claims repeatedly surfaced. British media recently alleged millions of dollars were exchanged to secure votes. Speaking to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) gathered in Sao Paulo ahead of FIFA’s 64th Congress, Blatter branded his critics “destroyers”.

There is a sort of storm against FIFA relating to the Qatar World Cup. Sadly there’s a great deal of discrimination and racism.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter

Blatter’s rallying cry comes as FIFA faces mounting pressure over its 2010 decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. Five of FIFA’s six biggest commercial partners — Adidas, Sony, Visa, Coca-Cola and Hyundai — have demanded an investigation of claims that Qatari official Mohammed bin Hammam paid millions of dollars in bribes to secure the tiny Gulf state’s victory in the 2022 race. If the corruption claims are proven, football officials say Qatar could be stripped of the Cup.