PR firm recognized for its work on scandal-plagued World Cup campaign
Vero Communications was nominated for an excellence award for helping Qatar win its bid for the 2022 World Cup. Too bad the decision is mired in controversy, including suspicions of bribery.
According to CIPR, Vero took Qatar from being a “no hope” for landing the games to a serious contender that ultimately was awarded the hosting duties.
Maybe public relations had everything to do with Qatar’s being awarded the World Cup. Others, including The New York Times, have other ideas of how they got it — namely bribery:
Two of FIFA’s 24 executive committee members were barred after they were recorded soliciting money for their votes. Similar accusations, voiced in the news media and the British parliament, have been made against others, but FIFA has cleared those involved. A recently revealed email shows the secretary general Jérôme Valcke saying that Qatar “bought” the 2022 World Cup. Mr. Valcke said this week that he merely meant that Qatar was aided by its well-financed campaign.
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