FIFA is investigating allegations that Australia's 2022 World Cup bid team broke rules regarding the giving of gifts to the executive committee.The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that Football Federation Australia's bid team offered pearl cufflinks to members of the committee and necklaces to their wives. It is also alleged that the bid team financed a trip to Cyprus for a Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 team.
"FIFA can confirm that it is looking into this matter," a statement said. "For the time being, FIFA cannot disclose any other details or make any further comment."
FIFA vice-president Jack Warner is from Trinidad and as head of CONCACAF is in control of three of the 24 votes of the executive committee, who will vote on the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in December.
The Sydney Morning Herald alleges that the bid team gave Warner's wife a pearl necklace last year after Warner complained she had not received jewellery given 14 months previously to the wives of FIFA colleagues.
The newspaper details how the gift was given "after the formal World Cup bidding period had begun and when the Football Federation of Australia was seeking support for its bid from Mr Warner".
A statement from the FFA read: "Mrs Warner was presented with a pearl necklace in 2009 because she was not present at the 2008 function at which other FIFA dignitaries received a Paspaley pearl pendant & this gift was entirely within FIFA guidelines."
FIFA rules state that associations are prevented from giving valuable gifts to any figures connected with the voting process, but gifts that have "symbolic or incidental value" are permissible.
Source: Soccernet.com
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