FIFA Investigates Amos Adamu On Allegation To Sell 2018 World Cup Votes

San Francisco, Oct 17, (THEWILL) – FIFA has launched an investigation into The Sunday Times video recording that showed Dr. Amos Adamu, Nigerian FIFA Executive Committee Member and Reynald Temarii, President of the Oceania Football Confederation, soliciting for cash from the newspaper’s journalists who posed as lobbyists for a consortium of American companies lobbying to bring the tournament to the United States in 2018.

Amos Adamu had told the journalists that he wanted cash ($800, 000) paid directly to him to help build pitches in Nigeria. He said his vote would go to anyone that ‘cooperates’ in advancing football development in the West African nation. A video showed Adamu making the demand to build four artificial pitches, which contravenes FIFA rules.

"Obviously, it will have an effect. Of course it will. Because certainly if you are to invest in that, that means you also want the vote," Adamu was heard saying in the video to a question on whether an investment in the ‘private project’ would sway his vote.

Temarii also requested for funds to finance a sports academy.

FIFA in a statement today said: "FIFA and the FIFA ethics committee have closely monitored the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups and will continue to do so.

"FIFA has already requested to receive all of the information and documents related to this matter, and is awaiting to receive this material.

"In any case, FIFA will immediately analyse the material available and only once this analysis has concluded will FIFA be able to decide on any potential next steps.

"In the meantime, FIFA is not in a position to provide any further comments on this matter," the statement added.

However, FIFA will on December 02, 2010 in Zurich decide which countries will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

The USA Bid Committee today announced that it has withdrawn from the 2018 FIFA World Cup bid and will exclusively focus on the 2022 campaign.

The decision comes after several months of careful deliberation with FIFA, UEFA and members of the USA Bid Board of Directors. Four European candidates now remain in the race for 2018 (Belgium/Netherlands, England, Russia and Spain/Portugal).

FIFA Statutes indicate that the competition cannot be held on the same continent on two successive occasions.