Fifa executive committee member Michel
D’Hooghe has been cleared of corruption by an
investigation into the bidding for the 2018 and
2022 World Cups.
.
The governing body’s ethics committee found
“insufficient evidence to suggest” that the 69-year-old Belgian “had violated their code of ethics”.
D’Hooghe, who is head of Fifa’s medical committee
and an executive member since 1988, denied any
wrongdoing.
.
Russia was awarded the 2018 World Cup and the
2022 tournament went to Qatar.
.
The decision in December 2010 to award both
tournaments was the source of controversy,
prompting a 430-page Fifa report into allegations of
corruption.
.
Fifa’s ethics committee cleared D’Hooghe of four
allegations of wrongdoing.
.
It said it was satisfied that a painting that he received
from the Russian bid “has no commercial value” and
“was offered as a friendly gesture”.
.
The ethics committee also dismissed an allegation
that D’Hooghe accepted a trip paid for by a bidding
nation.
.
The statement added that “air travel and other
expenses for the trip were in fact covered by Fifa” as
it was related to his “function as chairman of the Fifa
medical committee”.
.
D’Hooghe was also cleared of allegations that he
helped secure a business opportunity in Qatar for the son of a close friend.
.
Fifa’s investigation found “insufficient evidence to
prove that he was in any way involved in these
efforts”.
.
There was also “no concrete evidence” on the fourth
allegation, that a relative of D’Hooghe’s was offered
employment in Qatar shortly after the vote.
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