Qatar Airways plans to become FIFA sponsor despite scandal (ArabianBusiness.com)
June 3, 2015
Qatar Airways plans to become a World Cup sponsor for FIFA even though it is concerned about the bribery investigation into world soccer’s governing body, the airline said on Tuesday.
“With the World Cup coming to Qatar, we have had advanced internal discussions regarding this, but we are not in advanced discussions with FIFA,” said a company spokesperson.
The comment came as FIFA denied on Tuesday that Jérôme Valcke, the top lieutenant of its President Sepp Blatter, was involved in $10 million in bank transactions at the heart of a US bribery investigation against the world soccer body, despite the publication of a letter to Valcke outlining the payment.
Secretary general Valcke had no role in the payments, which were authorised by the chairman of FIFA’s Finance Committee, it said in a statement.
Tags: Corruption Scandal, FIFA, Jerome Valcke, Qatar Airways, Sepp Blatter, World Cup, World cup sponsor