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FIFA: Third whistleblower makes allegation of corruption in World Cup bidding process

World Cup trophy
Image: FIFA: Have cleared Russia and Qatar to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups

A third FIFA whistleblower made an allegation of corruption in the World Cup bidding process, but claims no mention of it was made in Judge Hans-Joachim Eckert's final report.

Les Murray, an Australian who was on the FIFA ethics committee at the time, claims he was informed of a cash-for-votes demand by people working for the Australia 2022 bid.

He reported the incident to his superiors after an unnamed FIFA ExCo member allegedly asked for $5million to build a sports centre.

But Murray has questioned why it was not included in Eckert's summary of the investigation into World Cup bidding, which cleared Russia and Qatar to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

He wrote in his blog on the website of Australia broadcaster SBS: "Three years ago, when I was still on the FIFA ethics committee, I was informed by sources inside the Australian bid team that a member of the FIFA executive committee was asking the Australians for hard cash in return for votes.

"I reported this information up the chain of the ethics committee at the time, as was my duty, but I see no mention of it in Eckert's report."

Eckert and ethics investigator Michael Garcia were due to hold a meeting after disagreements between the two on the outcome of the investigation.

The German judge last week said rule breaches by the bidding countries were "of very limited scope".

But Garcia notified FIFA that he intends to lodge an appeal against the decision due to "numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts".

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