Friday, October 29, 2010

World Cup bidders waiting on Fifa

Fifa president Sepp Blater
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has some difficult decisions to make

The countries hoping to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups are awaiting the outcome of a Fifa meeting that has sought to clarify the bidding process.

Fifa has been forced to act after recent incidents including the suspension of two of its executive members for alleged vote selling.

A response, including whether there will be 22 or 24 voters, is expected at a press conference set for 1400 BST.

The winning bids will be announced after a vote on 2 December in Zurich.

The suspended duo of Nigerian Amos Adamu and Tahiti's Reynald Temarii are under investigation for allegedly offering to sell their votes and it is unclear what action Fifa will take, if any, to replace their votes.

The Fifa ethics panel is conducting the investigation into Adamu and Temarii and is expected to make a ruling on 17 November.

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And, in a campaign process dogged by controversy, it is also looking into claims of collusion between the joint Spain and Portugal bid with that of Qatar, although all parties have denied all allegations of unfair practice.

Spain and Portugal are vying with England, Russia as well as the joint bid of Netherlands and Belgium to stage the 2018 World Cup.

There have been suggestions that the vote on 2 December could be postponed, although BBC Sport's James Pearce has indicated that a delay is unlikely.

In the race to host the 2022 competition, Australia, Qatar, Japan/South Korea and the United States are in the running.

The latest problems to come to the boil as the bidding process intensifies resulted in Russia sports minister Vitaly Mutko issuing an apology to England's campaign team.

England 2018 had lodged a complaint with Fifa following comments from Russia bid chief Alexei Sorokin.

Potenshöjande medel -

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