According to Courier Mail, the Australian government is not backing out without a potential legal fight after losing a bid to hos the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. Qatar's win became controversial after corruption rumors involving payments made to FIFA officials have surfaced.
Citing a Fairfax report, the national news site said Australian Federal Minister for Sport Peter Dutton is mulling all options in light of the recent claims that Qataru officials secured their winning bid by paying off influential officials of the global sports organization. However, he did say that Australia will be waiting for the results of the independent probe commissioned by FIFA and is currently being conducted by chief investigator Michael Garcia.
Dutton said, "I think it's one step at a time, and the first step is to wait and see what happens in the process; wait and see what the world body does. And then I think we can consider options."
In the December 2010 voting ceremony, Qatar reportedly won the bid while Australia, led by Chairman Frank Lowy of the Football Federation Australia, managed to secure a single vote. Following the decision, reports emerged that Qatar had shelled out $5 million in cash and that former FIFA vice-president Mohammed bin Hammam provided several lavish gifts in order to win the bid. Qatar had beaten Japan, South Korea and the United States as the host of soccer's showpiece tournament despite the fact that temperatures in the Gulf nation reach 50 degrees Celsius in the middle of the year, which is the sports event schedule, Reuters said. The decision also prompted calls to move the original schedule of the World Cup to when temperatures in Qatar are more bearable.
Lowy has earlier called for compensation should the schedule of the 2022 World Cup be moved as suggested. Reuters said Australia has spent A$43 million ($40.17 million) on their first try to win hosting rights for the World Cup.
He then said, "Australia invested heavily in the World Cup process and the entire nation was behind the bid. Since December 2010 Australia has been careful not to let its misgivings about the process be interpreted as sour grapes. But now, with increasing speculation about a change that will impact on us as one of the bidding nations, and because our competition will be affected, we have made our position public."
