http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_7031223,00.html
More corruption, obviously she was threatened with death unless she told everyone she lied.
More corruption, obviously she was threatened with death unless she told everyone she lied.
he 'whistleblower' who accused the Qatar 2022
World Cup bid team of corruption has withdrawn her accusations,
apologised and said they were fabricated.
Phaedra Al Majid, a former media officer for Qatar 2022, has
claimed she made up the accusation in order to exact revenge for losing
her job.
Al Majid accused Fifa members Issa Hayatou, Jacques Anouma and Amos
Adamu of receiving bribes in order to back the gulf state's bid for the
tournament, awarded to them last December ahead of the likes of
Australia and the USA.
Those claims were then repeated in Parliament in a culture, media and
sport select committee hearing into the 2018 and 2022 bid process,
which also saw England lose out to Russia in the bid to host the 2018
competition.
Al Majid said she never thought her claims would end up in a
Parliamentary committee and insisted she has not been put under pressure
by the bid team or paid by them to change her story.
"I wish to offer a full and formal apology for the fabricated
allegations concerning the Qatar 2022 Fifa World Cup bid committee and
Fifa executive committee members Issa Hayatou, Jacques Anouma and Amos
Adamu," she said in a statement.
"Never, at any time, were any bribes even offered, suggested or paid
on behalf of the Qatar 2022 bid during any time in exchange for votes
from Issa Hayatou, Jacques Anouma and Amos Adamu.
"These allegations were in full a fabrication on my behalf."
