Menu
International Football

French Authorities Consider Investigation Of Qatar 2020 World Cup Bid

French authorities are "considering launching a probe" into FIFA’s decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, amid allegations that "senior figures in France may have exerted pressure on football’s world governing body," according to Anne-Sylvaine Chassany of the FINANCIAL TIMES. Eliane Houlette, France’s financial prosecutor, said that "such an inquiry would investigate" the role played by former UEFA President Michel Platini. She "declined to comment on allegations about the role of the government" and former France President Nicolas Sarkozy. She said, "We have some pieces of information that push us to [open an investigation]. If there is an investigation, Michel Platini's role will certainly be an essential part, but the investigation will not center on him." In an interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag last year, former FIFA President Sepp Blatter alleged "Sarkozy had exerted pressure on world football’s governing body." A separate French investigation "would come at a bad time" for Sarkozy, who is expected to announce his candidacy for the center-right presidential nomination in the next few weeks (FT, 5/29). REUTERS' Julien Pretot reported the financial prosecutors "can investigate if they have reasons to believe French nationals are involved in a case or if unlawful acts related to it were committed in France" (REUTERS, 5/29).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2016/05/31/International-Football/Qatar-2020-Probe.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2016/05/31/International-Football/Qatar-2020-Probe.aspx

CLOSE