Qatar World Cup 2022 team ‘ran black ops campaign against rival bids using ex-CIA officers and PR firm’
Leaked documents are reported to show negative publicity was fuelled about competing bids from Australia and the United States
Sponsored by
The Qatar World Cup bid team ran a secret 'black ops' campaign to smear rivals before winning the right to host the 2022 tournament, it has been reported.
The leaked documents show Qatari officials hired ex-CIA agents and a US PR firm to sabotage rival bids.
Qatar controversially won the right to host the tournament in 2010 after a surprise victory over the United States and Australia.
The alleged aim of the 'dirty tricks' campaign was to suggest the World Cup would not be supported domestically in those countries.
It is against Fifa rules for countries to make any statements or campaigns about rival bids.
The Qatar bid has previously been accused of corruption but was cleared following a two-year inquiry by Fifa.
The documents - reportedly leaked by a whistleblower - claim hostility was deliberately whipped up inside rival nations and negative propaganda shared around the world.
One allegation is protests were organised at rugby games in Australia demonstrating against the country's bid.
In America, it is claimed US Congressman were lobbied to oppose the country's bid on the grounds the money would be better used on high school sports and the tournament would damage the US economy.
The Qatar bid team is alleged to have employed the New York office of communications company Brown Lloyd Jones, which is now BLJ Worldwide, as part of the operation.
most read in sport
Nether the Qatar 2022 World Cup bid team or BLJ Worldwide responded to requests for comment from The Sunday Times.
A Fifa statement said "a thorough investigation was conducted by Michael Garcia and his conclusions are available in the report".
Since the tournament was awarded to Qatar, the 2022 World Cup has been moved from June-July to November-December following concerns over temperatures in the summer months.