Hassan Al-Haydos, the former head of the Qatar Football Association (QFA), has been arrested in Qatar after he was found guilty of corruption and bribery. The arrest came shortly after the QFA's annual conference ended in Doha last week.
According to reports, Al-Haydos was charged with several counts of corruption and bribery, including fraudulently obtaining bribes from officials and athletes, as well as accepting kickbacks for services provided by QFA clubs.
The case against Al-Haydos is expected to be heard in court in Doha later this month. However, it remains unclear when or if he will face trial.
In his statement of charges, Al-Haydos acknowledged that he had accepted payments for services rendered by QFA clubs during the conference, but denied any wrongdoing. He also claimed that he did not have access to any financial records related to the conference.
Despite the arrest, Al-Haydos' future remains uncertain. His lawyer, Ali El-Khouri, said that the decision on whether he should be released pending trial is still up to the court.
The arrest comes just days after the Qatar National Football Team beat China 2-1 in their friendly match at the Asian Games. This victory was the first time that Qatar has won a FIFA World Cup qualifying match since 1990. It was a significant moment for the country and its fans, who celebrated with joyous cheers and chants throughout the stadium.