"An investigation has also been opened into the member associations in question as well as their bid committees," read a FIFA statement yesterday. "FIFA has again asked the chairman of the ethics committee to act without delay to take all possible steps, including the possibility of provisional measures, should the relevant conditions be met."
Rumours of collusion between a 2018 bidder and a 2022 hopeful surfaced in September, prompting FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke to warn all countries that mutual voting deals are against FIFA rules.
FIFA is concerned that any agreement between member associations would be "clear violation of the bid registration document".
An undercover investigation by The Sunday Times alleged that Amos Adamu, a Nigerian member of FIFA's executive committee and president of the West African Football Union, asked for $800,000 to endorse one of the bid candidates. It also reported that Tahiti’s Reynald Temarii, a FIFA vice-president and president of the Oceania Football Confederation, wanted NZ$3 million ($2.3 million) for a sports academy in exchange for a vote.
FIFA’s 24-strong executive committee will decide which countries will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups on December 2 in Zurich.
