French judge tasked with Qatar 2022 World Cup inquiry

French prosecutors said Monday that y had handed to an investigating judge ir inquiry into suspected corruption in awarding of 2022 World Cup to Qatar. country's financial crimes prosecutors office (PNF) began its inquiry in 2016 over allegations of corruption, conspiracy and influence-peddling in voting that awarded Qatar coveted football tournament. decision to hand ir findings to a Paris judge comes six months after former UEFA chief Michel Platini was questioned by French anti-corruption police.

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Platini, who was banned from football for four years in 2015 for ethics violations, was questioned over his vote in favour of Qatar in December 2010, a choice that caught many observers by surprise. He has denied any wrongdoing and was released without being charged. According to Sepp Blatter, FIFA president at time, Qatar won hosting rights as a result of a deal with France and intervention of ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy.

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French investigators have focused in particular on vember 23, 2010, meeting at presidential Elysee Palace between Platini, Sarkozy and Qatar's Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who in 2013 became leader of oil-rich emirate. Sarkozy's former chief of staff Claude Gueant as well as his former sports adviser, Sophie Dion, were also questioned by police earlier this year. 2010 vote has been mired in controversy because half of FIFA committee members who cast votes have since been suspended, banned for life, fined or prosecuted for corruption.

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