LONDON // A World Cup bidding whistleblower fears her treatment by Fifa will stop others from coming forward with evidence as world football’s governing body grapples with allegations of corruption.
Former Qatar bid worker Phaedra Almajid has complained to Fifa that her right to witness confidentiality in the bidding investigation was breached in an ethics report last week, claiming she was easily identifiable even though she was not named.
Ms Almajid, who was a member of the bid media team, is also angry that the report by Fifa judge Joachim Eckert said she and Australian whistleblower Bonita Mersiades lacked credibility.
“After what they’ve done to me and Bonita, who else is going to want to come forward and be a Fifa whistleblower?” Ms Almajid said. “I wish what happened to me as a whistleblower never happens again to anyone. I would never wish this on anyone.”
Ms Almajid made allegations in 2011 that three Fifa executive committee members were paid $1.5 million (Dh5.5m) to vote for Qatar. She was named in a July 2011 statement in which she retracted her claims of corruption, but said later she was coerced to do so by unnamed Qatari officials.
Ms Almajid said about two months after she signed that retraction, American law enforcement officials visited her house due to concerns over her safety.
“The FBI came to me because they knew my security was being threatened and to protect me,” Ms Almajid said from Washington DC where she lives. She did not give details of the threats.
“The FBI wanted me to get in contact with the Qataris so that they could admit the fact there was a deal between me and them,” she said. “They recorded me speaking to a senior official from Qatar. The senior official admitted there was a deal for [retracting] the affidavit and they would provide a letter saying they wouldn’t sue me.”
The FBI did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Qatar, the first Middle East country to win a bid to host the World Cup, has always denied any wrongdoing.
Ms Almajid said she remains concerned about her safety.
“Being a whistleblower has changed my life and my kids’ lives. I will be looking over my shoulder until 2022 is over,” she said.
“This has cost me dearly [but] I am ready to keep fighting for the truth to be known.”
* Associated Press
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