ZURICH: Members of FIFA’s executive committee, meeting in Zurich this week, have been sharing their memories of the controversial Qatar World Cup vote with ethics investigator Michael Garcia.

The American lawyer, who is investigating the decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively, had a ‘hit list’ of the world federation’s decision makers.

In addition to president Sepp Blatter, 12 other current members were involved in the votes which climaxed a contentious, scandal-shrouded campaign: vice-presidents Julio Grondona (Argentina), Issa Hayatou (Cameroon), Angel Villar (Spain), Michel Platini (France) and members Michel D’Hooghe (Belgium). Senes Erzik (Turkey), Worawi Makudi (Thailand), Marios Lefkaritis (Cyprus), Jacques Anouma (Ivory Coast),  Rafael Salguero (Guatemala), Hany Abo Rida (Egypt) and Vitaly Mutko (Russia).

All members of the current exco attended this week’s meeting.

Statement

A FIFA statement said: “We can confirm that the chairman of the investigatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee is currently in Zurich and is also interviewing some of the FIFA Executive Members as part of his on-going work.”

Various members who voted in December 2010 have left FIFA in disgrace at the most or under a cloud at the least. These include Mohamed Bin Hammam (Qatar) and Jack Warner (Trinidad &Tobago) who had been presidents of the Asian and Central/North American confederations at the time.

Earlier this week The Daily Telegraph alleged that a company owned by Bin Hammam had paid £2m to Warner, family members and an associates shortly after the vote.

Qatar’s preparations have also been hit by controversy over the treatment of migrant workers in the country’s construction industry.

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