Sepp Blatter admits agreement with Russia for 2018 World Cup made before voting took place

Sepp Blatter admits agreement for Russia to host 2018 World Cup was made before voting took place

THE stench of corruption engulfing FIFA has intensified after Sepp Blatter made the extraordinary admission that an agreement was in place for the 2018 World Cup to go to Russia even before the vote took place.

 

Suspended FIFA president Blatter also sought to further sully Michel Platini's reputation by suggesting the 2022 World Cup was due to be held in the USA until the Frenchman decided to throw his weight behind Qatar.

The remarkable revelations prompted a damning response from Football Association chairman Greg Dyke, who vowed to investigate the furore.

The FA spent £21m on England's 2018 failed bid, including £2.5m public money from local authorities, and Dyke said it would be "very nice" to recoup that outlay.

 

Blatter also claimed Michel Platini influenced the host selection for 2022 World Cup

Blatter did not expand on who exactly had "agreed" for Russia to be hosts, but the comments in an interview with a Russian news agency sparked further controversy.

"In 2010 we had a discussion of the World Cup and then we went to a double decision," said Blatter. "For the World Cups it was agreed that we go to Russia because it's never been in Russia, eastern Europe, and for 2022 we go back to America. And so we will have the World Cup in the two biggest political powers.

"And everything was good until the moment when [French president Nicolas] Sarkozy came in a meeting with the crown prince of Qatar, who is now the ruler of Qatar. And at a lunch afterwards with Mr Platini he said it would be good to go to Qatar. And this has changed all pattern.

 

FA chairman Greg Dyke has vowed to investigate the World Cup issues following England's failed bid

"There was an election by secret ballot. Four votes from Europe went away from the USA and so the result was 14 to eight.

"If you put the four votes, it would have been 12 to 10. If the USA was given the World Cup, we would only speak about the wonderful World Cup 2018 in Russia and we would not speak about any problems at FIFA."

England received just two out of 22 votes from FIFA's executive committee and went out in the first round of voting to host the finals in 2018.

Dyke, giving evidence to the culture, media and sport committee yesterday, said: "We will look into detail at what Mr Blatter says. Yes I suspect the response [from him] will be, 'I was misquoted'. If he says that then I think there is something to investigate.

"There's nothing Mr Blatter says that surprises me much. If he is saying 'we wanted Russia' and it looks like he wanted that fixed before the vote, it's suggesting that it was all fixed anyway."

 

Blatter's interview gave a clear insight into his views about being suspended on October 8 after a Swiss criminal investigation over a £1.3m payment between him and Platini.

It also highlighted his feud with Platini, whose chances of succeeding Blatter in the February 26 emergency election have been damaged by his own 90-days suspension.

Both deny wrongdoing and have appealed against their sanctions, but both face longer bans when the full ethics hearing is completed.

But Blatter added there was no prospect of Russia being stripped of the finals.

"No, you will never lose the World Cup," he said. "It has been anchored in FIFA. There will be no change in the World Cup."