Will the Qatari Mohamed Ben Hammam attend the opening match of the 2022 World Cup, on November 20, between “his” national team and Ecuador, in the royal box of Al Bayt Stadium in Al-Khor? It is unlikely that the billionaire and influential ex-president (2002-2011) of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), 73, will come out of the shadows during the tournament organized in his country.
Silenced by both Emir Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani and his father and predecessor Hamad since his life ban in December 2012 by the International Football Federation (FIFA) for “conflicts of interest”, Mr. Ben Hammam says “MBH” is however the great architect of the victory in the ballot boxes of the emirate, on December 2, 2010, during the vote of attribution of the World Cup.
“Without ‘MBH’, we wouldn’t know how to write FIFA in Qatar, smiles Guido Tognoni, ex-adviser to ex-FIFA president (1998-2015), Sepp Blatter. Who else but him could have brought the World Cup to Qatar? »
At the heart of the myriad cases of embezzlement that shook FIFA, of which he was vice-president, accused by the media across the Rhine of having favored the buying of votes during the controversial attribution of the 2006 World Cup to the n Germany, “MBH” is considered the great corrupter and shadow lobbyist par excellence.
“He did his duty and obeyed the emir”
Long ally and putative successor of Sepp Blatter, having a time of a “current bank account” at FIFA, according to an internal report consulted by The world“MBH” saw his career turned upside down by the plan of the Emir Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, in 2008, to obtain the Holy Grail: the organization by Qatar of the World Cup.
Initially opposed to this candidacy and skeptical as to his country’s chances of winning, Mr. Ben Hammam had to comply with his sovereign’s injunctions. Rushing into the breach opened by FIFA for the simultaneous awarding of the 2018 and 2022 editions of the World Cup, conducive to bargaining, he worked for nearly two years to convince, by all means, his colleagues on the executive committee. of FIFA to vote for his country.
“’MBH’ had the international ties. He was more important than the pope at the time,” comments Mr. Tognoni.
“He did his duty and obeyed the emir, comments Mr. Tognoni. Qatar’s campaign in 2010 was unique and perfect: the Qataris, richer than the other candidates, used all the diplomatic, personal and economic links. “MBH” had international ties. He was more important than the pope at the time. All members of the FIFA Executive Committee went on pilgrimage to talk to him. » Dismissals, bribes, exchanges of votes with the candidate countries for the organization of the 2018 World Cup… “MBH” is multiplying behind the scenes in an attempt to seduce its colleagues.
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