The IAAF has defended a last-minute offer of nearly €30million in ‘incentives’ by the bid team from Doha, insisting the process by which the Qatari capital had been awarded the 2019 World Championships was fair.
Doha saw off rival bids from Barcelona and Eugene, Oregon at an IAAF vote last week, but it has since been revealed by the Guardian that a package of incentives was offered by the successful bid team to the IAAF, in the form of sponsorships and capital investments in worldwide athletics, just minutes before Friday’s vote.
Spanish bid organisers have complained about Doha’s offer, saying ‘All they have is money’, but the IAAF has denied that any wrongdoing took place.
A spokesman for the governing body of world athletics said: ‘All potential host cities are offered an opportunity to include any incentives that they believe will help their cause.
‘I can say categorically that this combined offer did not break any rules. Both Eugene and Barcelona had the same opportunity but were either unwilling, or unable, to do so.’
Right so…
