ZURICH, Switzerland, June 23 (UPI) -- FIFA executives allegedly doubled their salaries in secret to compensate for the bonuses that were cut, according to leaked documents.
The documents, originally obtained by The Sunday Times, said that FIFA President Sepp Blatter awarded a total of $4.4 million in payouts. The salary bumps equaled $70,000 per year and $200,000 during World Cup years for the organization's top bosses.
In addition to the significant payouts, the documents show payments for business class flights, five-star hotels and $100,000 in reported expenses.
The accusations come at a particularly sensitive time for the organization, which is already under fire for allegedly accepting bribes to designate Qatar as host of the 2022 World Cup. The choice of Qatar raised suspicions as temperatures can rise to 122 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer months -- far too hot to host an outdoor sporting event safely. Qatar is also facing numerous allegations of human rights abuses in regard to the migrant workers preparing the games.
Addressing the recent leak of documents, a FIFA spokesman told Sky News that FIFA "cannot comment on every morsel The Sunday Times picks out of the hundreds of millions of emails they claim to have in their possession."
"We publish our financial report in line with international financial reporting standards on our website," he added.
