KUALA LUMPUR: The Asian Football Confederation (QFC) on Thursday welcomed the statement by FIFA’s adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, to clear Qatar of unfounded allegations of bid rigging for the 2022 World Cup. After more than 18 months of investigation by Michael Garcia, Chairman of the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, the AFC President, Shaikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, has conveyed his confidence in the findings. “I am satisfied that Qatar has been absolved of any misconduct in their bid for the 2022 World Cup,” he said in a statement released by AFC on Thursday. “The AFC has always stood by Qatar as we defend their right to host the 2022 World Cup, and this finding reaffirms our belief and support for the country. We would now be able to move on and work with Qatar to ensure that we deliver the best World Cup that Asia can offer. “There are matters to be ironed out of course including the timing of the World Cup, but we are committed to get it done. I would also like to call upon all Asian nations to continue showing support for Qatar as we have been doing since they won the bid. This is an important moment for Asia, and we have a wonderful opportunity to create history,” he added Qatar 2022 will be the first World Cup to be held in Asia’s Western region, and only the second to be held in Asia after Japan and Korea Republic in 2002.