Worawi lashes out over World Cup corruption claims
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Worawi Makudi has vehemently denied any wrongdoing after the Football Association of Thailand president was implicated in fresh allegations of bribery surrounding Qatar's successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup.
British newspapers last week published what they claimed were leaked documents showing that then-Asian football chief Mohamed Bin Hammam, a Qatari, played a key role in underhand deals to help his country secure the showpiece event in the 2010 vote. Bin Hammam was at the time a long-term ally of Worawi.
The Telegraph reported that Bin Hammam, who was banned for life from football for his corruption-riddled bid for the Fifa presidency in 2011, arranged meetings between Qatari officials and their counterparts from countries eligible to vote to discuss bilateral trade deals.
One arrangement the newspaper cited was a gas deal between Thailand and Qatar, with Worawi believed to have been involved. Two years ago, Qatar gas signed a deal with PTT, Thailand’s leading energy company and a sponsor of the FAT, to deliver two million tonnes of liquefied natural gas to the tiny Gulf emirate.
The Sunday Times also ran similar story with more details about the secret meeting they claimed involved Bin Hammam and Worawi. The newspaper said it had new evidence showing that around US$5 million was paid to football officials in return for votes Qatar needed to host the World Cup.
No stranger to controversy off the field, Worawi, whose victory in the poll to retain his FAT post last year was also marred by alleged irregularities, pleaded his innocence over the latest allegations and said he was considering legal action
against the British media.
“I know nothing about the story. Their claims are groundless and have sullied my reputation. It’s completely unacceptable. I’m considering setting up a legal team to take action against them,” Worawi, currently in Brazil to perform World Cup duties as a Fifa board member, was quoted as saying by the local media.
“In the past, Michel Platini, the current Uefa president, was also hit with allegations of corruption by the Telegraph, which didn’t cite proper evidence.”
Meanwhile, football fan-club Moo Tharua yesterday began a Facebook campaign in a bid to force Worawi to step down as FA president. The petition will be delivered to Army-in-Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, leader of the National Council for Peace and Order, on June 21.
