(MENAFN- Arab Times) Organisers of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar have indicated they will not relinquish the right to host soccer's showpiece event easily, whatever the fall-out from Sepp Blatter's decision to step down as FIFA president. Blatter, who counted the nations of the Arabian Gulf among his strongest allies, rocked the world of soccer on Tuesday by unexpectedly saying he would step down as FIFA president in the wake of a corruption investigation.
No sooner had the Swiss announced his decision than English Football Association chairman Greg Dyke raised the possibility that the controversial vote that awarded Qatar the tournament could be re-run.
"If I was the Qatari organisers I wouldn't sleep very well tonight," the former TV executive told British media.
"I think if the evidence comes out which shows the bidding processes were above board that's fine. If it shows they were corrupt then obviously the bids should be re-done, it's as simple as that."
Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmed Al-Thani, President of the Qatar Football Association, hit back immediately.
"Mr Dyke's instinct to immediately focus on stripping Qatar of the World Cup speaks volumes on his views concerning what will be the first FIFA World Cup to take place in the Middle East," he said in a statement.
"We would urge Mr Dyke to let the legal process take its course and concentrate on delivering his promise to build an England team capable of winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar."
Meanwhile, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) pledged on Wednesday to help "find the best way forward" for world football following the surprise resignation of FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
In a brief statement, Asia's football governing body - which has been a key Blatter ally - said it "takes note" of his intention to step down, but refrained from taking a position on the matter. "The AFC is closely monitoring the situation, and will discuss with its Member Associations and sister confederations in order to find the best way forward for both FIFA and world football," it said.
Blatter resigned on Tuesday as president of FIFA as pressure mounted over US and Swiss corruption investigations related to suspicions of bribery and questions over the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar.
Blatter's planned exit throws open a contest to replace him.
Jordanian Prince Ali bin al Hussein, who challenged Blatter in last Friday's FIFA leadership vote, has signalled that he will be a candidate in a new election.
Asia has been a key ally of Blatter's, particularly AFC chief Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa, a Bahraini royal.
The AFC had expressed strong support for Blatter in last week's election. The AFC has its own recent history of corruption allegations.
Its disgraced former president Mohamed bin Hammam was in 2012 banned from football for life in the wake of a "cash for votes" scandal stemming from an earlier FIFA presidential vote.
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