Industry experts said that World Cup insurers are "likely to refuse to pay out on many cancellation contracts if Russia and Qatar lose the rights to hold the tournaments" because of fraud, according to Carolyn Cohn of REUTERS. FIFA Audit & Compliance Committee Independent Chair Domenico Scala said that Russia and Qatar could be "stripped of their World Cup hosting rights if evidence emerges of bribery in the bidding process." Lawyers and insurance specialists said that many contracts could be "annulled or go into dispute if governments, organising bodies, or firms such as sponsors, broadcasters or hospitality providers have taken out cancellation insurance and are found to be linked to fraudulent action." Others who took out such contracts and did not have knowledge of any wrongdoing "could be paid out in full." Russia and Qatar have "denied wrongdoing in the conduct of their bids" for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Law firm Mishcon de Reya Insurance Partner Richard Leedham said that in the event of a government being "found guilty of fraud, any state-owned companies could face considerable difficulties in claiming compensation if insurers thought they were aware of the fraud and did not mention it." Given the size and complexity of the tournaments, and the number of insurance transactions taking place, a "great many" policies could "end up being disputed in court." Lawyer Jeffrey Schulman said, "It won't go away quickly and quietly. There's too much money at stake" (REUTERS, 6/19).
