FIFA keeps mum on Qatar

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 3 (AFP): FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke Monday refused to comment on fresh allegations of corruption surrounding the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

FIFA earlier announced its probe into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup host bids would be completed by June 9 as the corruption row over Qatar's controversial winning bid intensified.

But Valcke had nothing to add to that as he attended the launching of the World Cup international broadcast center (IBC) in Rio, waving away media requests for information.

"No answer, no question," he said as the clock ticked down to the June 12 kickoff of this year's World Cup.

Qatar has denied allegations by Britain's Sunday Times newspaper that Mohamed bin Hammam, a former FIFA vice president from Qatar, paid more than $5 million to football officials around the world before the 2010 vote that awarded the 2022 contest to the Gulf state.

In March Valcke said he backed the commission being chaired by former United States attorney Michael J. Garcia investigating the choices of Russia for 2018 and Qatar for 2022.