The ugly game : the Qatari plot to buy the World Cup : a Sunday Times Insight team investigation

When the tiny desert state of Qatar won the rights to host the 2022 World Cup, the news was greeted with shock and disbelief. How had a country with almost no football infrastructure or tradition, a high terror risk and searing summer temperatures of 50C beaten more established countries with stronger bids? The story behind the Qatari success soon developed into one of the greatest sporting scandals of our time. Allegations of corruption were soon flying, and when the Sunday Times Insight team received a cache of hundreds of millions of documents from a whistleblower, the contents of the FIFA Files became a global sensation, unearthing the corruption that lay at the heart of the bidding process. Now in this remarkable new book by the Sunday Times journalists at the heart of the investigation, Heidi Blake and Jonathan Calvert, comes the most comprehensive account yet of what happened and who was involved. Above all, it explains why, despite all the evidence, FIFA under Sepp Blatter continues to support Qatar - even to the extent of publishing an edited and abbreviated report into the process that was immediately denounced by its original author. 'The ugly game' is undoubtedly the biggest sporting story of the year THE STORY THAT BROUGHT DOWN FIFA'S SEPP BLATTER. 'With every page of this book, we see just why FIFA desperately needs a complete overhaul' - Sun When FIFA awarded the tiny desert state of Qatar the rights to host the 2022 World Cup , the news was greeted with disbelief and allegations of corruption . How had a country with almost no football infrastructure or tradition, a high terror risk and searing summer temperatures of 50C beaten more established countries with stronger bids? The story behind the Qatari success soon developed into one of the greatest sporting scandals of our time . And when the Sunday Times Insight team received a cache of hundreds of millions of documents from a whistleblower, the contents of the FIFA Files became a global sensation , unearthing the corruption that lay at the heart of the bidding process. Now in this remarkable new book by the Sunday Times journalists at the centre of the investigation, Heidi Blake and Jonathan Calvert, comes the most comprehensive account yet of what happened and who was involved. Above all, it explains why, despite all the evidence, FIFA continues to support Qatar - even to the extent of publishing an edited and abbreviated report into the process that was immediately denounced by its original author. Longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year, The Ugly Game is undoubtedly the biggest sporting story of our times. 'Never before has bribe-giving been documented in such graphic detail' - Independent When Fifa Awarded The Tiny Desert State Of Qatar The Rights To Host The 2022 World Cup, The News Was Greeted With Disbelief And Allegations Of Corruption. How Had A Country With Almost No Football Infrastructure Or Tradition, A High Terror Risk And Searing Summer Temperatures Of 50c Beaten More Established Countries With Stronger Bids? The Story Behind The Qatari Success Soon Developed Into One Of The Greatest Sporting Scandals Of Our Time. And When The Sunday Timesinsight Team Received A Cache Of Hundreds Of Millions Of Documents From A Whistleblower, The Contents Of The Fifa Files Became A Global Sensation, Unearthing The Corruption That Lay At The Heart Of The Bidding Process. Now In This Remarkable New Book By The Sunday Timesjournalists At The Centre Of The Investigation, Heidi Blake And Jonathan Calvert, Comes The Most Comprehensive Account Yet Of What Happened And Who Was Involved. Above All, It Explains Why, Despite All The Evidence, Fifa Under Sepp Blatter Continues To Support Qatar - Even To The Extent Of Publishing An Edited And Abbreviated Report Into The Process That Was Immediately Denounced By Its Original Author. Longlisted For The William Hill Prize, The Ugly Gameis Undoubtedly The Biggest Sporting Story Of The Year. An "account by two ... investigative journalists at Britain's The Sunday Times explains how the 2022 World Cup was secured for Qatar--a key element in the ongoing, international FIFA controversy"--Amazon.com. Sunday Times journalists Heidi Blake and Jonathan Calvert tell the shocking true story behind how Qatar secured the 2022 World Cup and why FIFA agreed to it