A new investigation has found that Qatar employed a former CIA officer to spy on key soccer officials who were responsible for picking the host of the FIFA World Cup in 2010, The Associated Press reported. Kevin Chalker, a former CIA officer who is now a private contractor, not only monitored officials of nations with rival bids but also officials in charge of picking the host country. The AP investigated hundreds of internal documents and interviewed former associates, who elaborated on how Chalker also monitored critics of Qatar inside FIFA on the country's behest. Former associates also told the newswire that Chalker's background as a former CIA agent was attractive to Qatari officials in their bid to host the World Cup. The Department of Justice announced for the first time last year that representatives working for Russia and Qatar had bribed FIFA officials to secure hosting rights for the men's soccer World Cup 2022.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 23, 2021 18:24 UTC