Qatar gave CAF $1.8m for World Cup vote?

Qatar paid the African Football Confederation $1.8 million (1.6 million euros) to present its bid for the 2022 World Cup at a congress, the continent's top football official told a French magazine.

CAF president and FIFA vice president Issa Hayatou said he saw nothing wrong with the payment made before the confederation held a congress in the Angolan capital Luanda in January 2010.

Qatar won the right to host the 2022 World Cup later the same year at a controversial FIFA vote now under investigation by Swiss authorities.

Paris-based Jeune Afrique magazine asked Hayatou about the donation from Qatar.

"It was $1.8 million, not one million. Paid in two times$900,000," the controversial CAF chief replied.

"The Qataris gave it to us to be able to show their plan (for the 2022 World Cup) during the congress."
Hayatou insisted he had not expected other candidates, including the United States and Australia, to pay for a similar privilege.— AFP