Qatar calls corruption reports deliberate attack

Qatar's 2022 World Cup chiefs have insisted that reports of corruption are a deliberate bid to undermine a FIFA inquiry into their bid.
A statement released by Qatar's Supreme Committee for 2022 said the "leaks" were orchestrated, but did not say who by.
"The timing of the release of these allegations is no accident," said the statement, highlighting that the reports coincided with meetings between Qatar officials and FIFA investigation chief Michael Garcia.
"It should be clear that these leaks are not an attempt to shine light on the 2018/2022 bidding process. They are, instead, a flagrant attempt to prejudice an ongoing independent investigation," said the Qatar chiefs.

"While Qatar's bid committee has honoured Mr Garcia's request to let the process run its course, our right to a fair hearing has been compromised by certain parties trying to influence Mr Garcia's investigation," said the statement.
On Sunday, the Gulf Cooperation Council -- which groups Qatar, as well as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, slammed what it called a "biased media attack" on Qatar.

"The GCC states stand by Qatar and fully support it against all the sceptics and spiteful, and those who try to belittle its right to host this historic sports tournament," GCC chief Abdullatif al-Zayani said in a statement.

"The people of GCC countries pride themselves for having a member state to host the 2022 World Cup," he said, adding that it was a "right for the people of western Asia and the Arab region."
Britain's Sunday Times newspaper has alleged that former Qatari football boss Mohamed Bin Hammam paid more than $5 million (3.7m euros) to gain support for the emirate ahead of the 2010 vote to award the 2022 World Cup.