SEPP BLATTER struck a secret deal with Qatar to protect his own presidency of Fifa and ensure the Gulf state would not be stripped of the 2022 World Cup, according to testimonies in a new book by The Sunday Times Insight team.

He made the alleged pact with the country’s royal family forcing Mohamed bin Hammam, Qatar’s top football official, to ditch his challenge for the Fifa presidency after he had been caught up in a bribery scandal.

It meant Blatter was able to be re-elected unopposed four years ago. Since then world football’s governing body has ignored the overwhelming evidence of corruption in the decision to award the World Cup to Qatar.

The allegations are contained in The Ugly Game: The Qatari plot to