A British newspaper says a politically connected lobbying firm pitched a plan to have the 2022 Football World Cup in Qatar cancelled.
The Guardian reports that Lynton Crosby, an Australian political strategist who has worked for the UK’s Conservative Party, offered to get the tournament awarded to another country in return for seven million dollars.
“Project Ball” focused on efforts to delegitimise the Qatari government and put pressure on FIFA to restart the World Cup bidding process.
Crosbyโs lawyers deny any contracts were signed or actioned.
A Qatari who fled the country and now lives in London is thought to have been the target of Crosby’s proposal.
David Miller, the founder of a UK-based group that carries out investigations, Spinwatch, talks to Al Jazeera about the reports.
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