Russia, Qatar may have bribed for WC, claims Blatter's ex-advisor

A former aide of Sepp Blatter has claimed that Russia and Qatar may have paid bribes to secure hosting rights for 2018 and 2022 World cups.

Guido Tognoni, who assisted the FIFA president during Blatter's second term, hinted that for many years in the organisation, one could only reach their goal by giving bribes, the BBC has reported.

Domenico Scala, head of FIFA's audit and compliance committee, earlier said that Russia and Qatar could be stripped of their respective World Cup hosting rights if any evidence of bribery emerges.

However, Scala said that he has not come across any evidence of corruption as of yet.

Sepp Blatter was re-elected at the Zurich meeting to a fifth-term as FIFA president but announced four days later that he would resign amidst the corruption scandal engulfing the football's governing body.

Seven senior FIFA officials were arrested on corruption charges last month at a Zurich hotel ahead of their presidential election.

Swiss authorities, meanwhile, have also launched separate criminal proceedings into FIFA's awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.