FIFA sponsor Coca-Cola criticises 'disappointing' World Cup corruption report

Global drinks company and FIFA sponsor Coca-Cola has described the world football governing body's handling of the controversial report into allegations of corruption surrounding the awarding of hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups as "disappointing", according to UK-based TV channel ITV.

FIFA has recently lodged a criminal complaint in Switzerland against unidentified people over the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, but stood by its conclusion that any wrongdoing was not enough to jeopardise the winning Russian and Qatari bids.

The action marks the first time FIFA has sought to involve law enforcement in connection with its own 18-month investigation into the bids, which concluded earlier this month with an announcement it had found no reason to overturn the decisions to hold the cup in Russia in 2018 and in Qatar in 2022.

FIFA's investigation into the bidding process has loomed over international soccer, especially in Europe, where officials have talked publicly about quitting a global body that earns billions of dollars in revenue from selling broadcast and sponsorship rights to the world's most popular sporting event.

It looked at losing bids as well as winning bids, and at the behaviour of countless international football officials, so the list of those who could potentially have been named in its complaint to the Swiss authorities could span the globe.

FIFA's announcement that cleared Qatar and Russia of wrongdoing was undermined when Michael Garcia, the former US prosecutor that led FIFA's own investigation, announced hours later that he disputed its summary of his findings.

Coca-Cola, one of FIFA's longest-standing and biggest sponsors, issued a statement criticising the fallout from the report.

The statement read “anything that detracts from the mission and ideals of the FIFA World Cup is a concern to us.

“The current conflicting perspectives regarding the investigation are disappointing. Our expectation is that this will be resolved quickly in a transparent and efficient manner."

In June, Coca-Cola joined fellow FIFA sponsors adidas, Sony and Visa by raising concerns about the impact the bribery allegations were having on the image of the game.

German sportswear company adidas, which has signed up as FIFA sponsor until 2030, extending a partnership dating back to 1970, also issued a statement, that read “the negative tenor of the public debate around FIFA at the moment is neither good for football nor for FIFA and its partners.”

Dubai airline Emirates has month confirmed that it will not renew its sponsorship contract with FIFA after the current deal expires at the end of the year.

6th November 2014 - EMIRATES ENDING OF ITS FIFA SPONSORSHIP A RESULT OF CORRUPTION AND ARABIAN GULF POLITICS

15th August 2014 - JAPAN READY TO HOST 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP IF EVENT STRIPPED FROM QATAR 

4th November 2011 - EMIRATES EXECUTIVES’ FIFA REVELATIONS ‘THE BIGGEST SPONSORSHIP STORY OF THE YEAR’

3rd November 2011 - EMIRATES EXECUTIVE QUESTIONS FIFA SPONSORSHIP

9th September 2011 - COMPANIES THAT SPONSOR OUTPERFORM THOSE THAT DON’T