SEOUL (AFP) - Fifa's Asian commercial partners said on Monday they expected a "thorough investigation" into corruption allegations over Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid, reflecting concerns that their multi-million dollar sponsorship deals might be tainted.
Analysts say official statements from some of football's biggest financial backers reveal the extent of corporate concern over the charges of bribes and backhanders.
After adidas and Visa spoke out at the weekend, Fifa's two top-tier "partner" sponsors in Asia, Hyundai and Sony, both underlined the importance of an exhaustive enquiry.
"We are confident that Fifa is taking these allegations seriously and that the Investigatory Chamber of the Fifa Ethics Committee will conduct a thorough investigation," the South Korean carmaker said.
"Hyundai Motor supports football as a sport that brings people together all over the world and firmly believes the World Cup is the ideal platform to fulfil this objective."
Sony had a similar reaction to the allegations that former Qatari football boss Mohamed Hammam paid millions of dollars in bribes to secure support for Qatar's deeply controversial victory in a 2010 Fifa vote.
"We expect these allegations to be investigated appropriately, and we continue to expect Fifa to adhere to its principles of integrity, ethics and fair play across all aspects of its operations," the Japanese electronics giant said.
