Blatter won't rule out possibility of rerunning World Cup 2022 vote

(CNN) -- FIFA president Sepp Blatter has refused to rule out the possibility of rerunning the vote for the 2022 World Cup if bribery allegations surrounding the original ballot are proven.

The head of world football revealed at the organization's headquarters in Switzerland on Thursday that FIFA are to interview the whistle blower who made the claims in British newspaper The Sunday Times.

The unidentified source alleged that FIFA members Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma received $1.5 million to vote for Qatar, according to evidence that was handed to a British parliamentary inquiry in London. Both men deny the claims.

Mohamed Bin Hammam, who is challenging Blatter for the presidency of FIFA on June 1 and played a key part in securing the tournament for his native Qatar, also denied the accusations.

When asked by reporters if the vote for 2022 could be re-run, the UK Press Association quoted Blatter as saying: "This is an idea circulating already around the world which is alarming.

"We are anxiously awaiting for these evidences or non-evidences in order that we can take the adequate steps. The newspaper has agreed that we will bring this whistle blower here to Zurich and then we will have an investigation of this."

At the same parliamentary inquiry, David Triesman, who was head of England's failed 2018 bid, told politicians that several FIFA members asked for bribes in return for their vote. FIFA subsequently wrote to the FA to ask them for all the evidence they had in relation to the case.

FIFA has already suspended executive members Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii following accusations of corruption before last December's World Cup ballot.

Russia was awarded the 2018 World Cup after England attracted just two votes and the English Football Association (FA) announced Thursday they would not be voting for either Blatter or Bin Hammam in the upcoming presidential election.

Chairman of the FA, David Bernstein, said in a statement: "The FA Board has today agreed to abstain in the vote for the Presidency of FIFA.

"There are a well-reported range of issues both recent and current which, in the view of The FA board, make it difficult to support either candidate.

"The FA values its relationships with its international football partners extremely highly. We are determined to play an active and influential role through our representation within both UEFA and FIFA.

"We will continue to work hard to bring about any changes we think would benefit all of international football."