I would be very surprised indeed if bribery wasn’t involved in the awarding of past and future World Cup hosting bids (Report, 30 May). However, it is the height of hypocrisy for Britain to accuse Sepp Blatter and Fifa chiefs of corruption. A little research in public sources suggests that heavy treating was at least an element in our successful bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. The Queen hosted the IOC inspectors for a dinner at Buckingham Palace, presenting Jacques Rogge (then head of the IOC) and his wife with gifts. A dozen IOC chiefs were put in the five-star Hilton and treated to a night at the opera. An Australian firm built the Olympic village. Natural supporters of rival Paris and Madrid bids had to be won over. In his A Journey, Tony Blair says that Silvio Berlusconi’s help was vital: “Italy was a key player.” At a visit to Berlusconi’s home the year before, the then Italian PM asked Blair how much securing the bid mattered to him. “Greatly,” Blair responded, to which Berlesconi replied: “You are my friend. I promise nothing, but I see if I can help.”
I am not saying that open bribery was involved in our bid, merely setting out facts from which readers can draw their own conclusions. Rivals attempted similar courtship of IOC judges (many of whom are businessmen and royals rather than athletes), visiting each bidding city many times. Is heavy treating of a committee only too happy to accept such favours morally any different from the proverbial “brown envelope” under the table?
Quentin Deakin
Tywyn, Gwynedd
• Fifa officials travel the world bribing government officials – and produce wonderful football events every four years that help keep Marina Hyde for one in a job (Scoops, swoops and dirty tricks: this is Fifa’s Watergate, 30 May). Government agencies travel the world bribing foreign government officials – and produce arms contracts that help kill and maim millions every day. I haven’t heard of the FBI raiding Whitehall offices at six in the morning. Let western governments clean up their own ethics before huffing and puffing about Fifa and as for Hyde’s point of Fifa “parasitically” sucking out billions from governments around the world, has she never come across the term neo-colonialism?
Colin Lovelace
Anglet, France
• Sepp Blatter’s closing speech to delegates following his inevitable success in the Fifa presidential vote is revealing (The storm clouds gather as Blatter sees off prince, 30 May). In justifying his re-election he said football needs a leader who “knows all the ins and outs of the situation”. This surely casts doubt on his claimed ignorance of corrupt practices. What Fifa desperately needs is a leader who is ignorant of the so-called ins and outs but has the mandate to root them out and ensure they are eradicated going forward. Only that will deliver on Blatter’s promise to “fix Fifa”.
Neil Macehiter
Cambridge
• I note that the Duke of Cambridge has intervened in the Fifa presidential election debacle in his role as president of the FA. It would be interesting to know what election procedures he went through to be appointed to that office.
Christopher Rumsey
Cranbrook, Kent
• Andy Burnham’s call for an England boycott of the 2018 World Cup in Russia (Report, 1 June) could be described as a bandwagon looking to derail a gravy train – no doubt well intended, but unlikely to make much of an impression. In all the talk of persuading commercial sponsors to withdraw their support, the missing link seems to be the role of the broadcasters. If the tournament is not televised, no sponsor would bother continuing to be involved. Given that Burnham held the post of culture secretary under Gordon Brown, he should be well placed to navigate the intricacies of getting the BBC, ITV and Sky together to test their appetite for meaningful joint action that could make a difference.
Les Bright
Exeter, Devon
• The allegations of corruption and bribery surrounding Qatar’s bid to host the World Cup in 2022 are ridiculous to say the least. The European football association has voted for Qatar, and the competition was free, fair and transparent. The World Cup has been hosted 10 times in Europe, six times in South America, three times in North America and once in both Asia and Africa, and none in any Arab or Muslim country. Qatar is a splendid choice to host such a colossal sporting event. Over the past decades, Qatar has made tremendous investments in its telecommunications, arts, science, tourism, education, health and sports infrastructures. Moreover, Qatar has worked assiduously to translate its wealth and unique cultural heritage into sustained economic and social growth, and to build bridges between cultures and peoples. In a nutshell, organising the World Cup in 2022 in Qatar will be a giant leap in furthering interfaith, intercultural and interreligious dialogue, understanding and peace in the service of humankind.
Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob
London
