'Fifa bullied whistle-blower'

The whistle-blower who first made serious allegations about Qatar's bid for the World Cup has confirmed she withdrew them under pressure from the country.

Phaedra Almajid worked on Qatar 2022's bid team and claimed Fifa executive committee members Issa Hayatou, Jacques Anouma and Amos Adamu were paid R17.5-million to vote for Qatar.

But she later retracted the claims, saying she had fabricated them in order to gain revenge on the bid team after losing her job.

And a 42-page summary published last week of the 430-page report produced by Fifa's head judge dismissed her evidence.

But Almajid told the UK's Mail on Sunday: "When it comes to Fifa, be prepared to be crucified, not once or twice but over and over again.

"Be prepared to suffer and pay for your actions. Be prepared never to feel safe and never to feel you can trust anyone. But most importantly, be ready to be betrayed by those who promised to protect you."

The newspaper said, by making the initial allegations, Almajid had broken a confidentiality contract and the Qataris were threatening to sue her for $1-million.

According to the Mail, she was told if she signed a sworn retraction - saying her corruption claims were a fabrication - they would cease any further legal action.

"I was completely alone in trying to fight off the Qataris," she said.

"I needed to protect the welfare of my kids and I signed. I am one small insignificant single mum against the richest country in the world and the richest sporting organisation in the world."

The credibility of the Fifa probe has been left in tatters after its chief investigator, Michael Garcia, declared he would appeal against its conclusions because it contained "numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts".

Garcia is expected to meet Judge Hans-Joachin Eckert soon in an attempt to end the infighting between them over the document released on Thursday, which cleared hosts Russia and Qatar.

Fifa suffered a further setback with the allegation that its disgraced former executive committee member Mohammed bin Hammam attempted to broker a vote deal with the England 2018 team.

Clare Kenny Tipton, who was England 2018's international strategy adviser, allegedly said Bin Hammam asked her whether England would guarantee European votes in favour of Qatar 2022 if he pledged his vote to England.

The Sunday Times reported he allegedly told her: "I would only vote for the country in Europe that brings me most votes for Qatar."

The paper reported that Tipton contacted the England bid leaders about the offer, allegedly made during the 2010 World Cup, and they agreed that such a collusion would be in breach of Fifa's rules.

The Garcia report recommends that, in future, Fifa members whose countries are bidding for the World Cup should be banned from voting.