Bitter England calls for reforms
Source: Agencies |
December 4, 2010, Saturday
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Print Edition
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THERE is no point in countries like England, Australia or the United States bidding to host World Cup finals in the future until FIFA changes its voting system, England's bid chief Andy Anson said yesterday.
He also said that he believed England's bid was fatally damaged when FIFA President Sepp Blatter warned executive committee members of the "evils of the media" just before they voted.
Russia won the right to stage the 2018 finals on Thursday while England, which expected at least "seven or eight votes" was knocked out in the first round with just two votes including one from its own representative.
Anson said that some FIFA members told him they turned off England's bid by the British Broadcasting Corporation's Panorama documentary and the Sunday Times' investigations into corruption at FIFA.
Asked if he would advise England to bid again Anson said: "I would say right now don't bother until you know that the process is going to change to allow bids like ours a chance to win.
"When you have the best technical bid, fantastic inspection visits and the best economic report, and from what people told us the best presentation yesterday - it's quite hard to stomach that seemed to count for absolutely nothing.
Having only 22 guys voting gives them too much power and influence.
"Running two bids together for 2018 and 2022 was clearly a huge mistake.
"Everyone who had a vote and a bid clearly wanted to trade that vote for something that helped them get over the line in that campaign.
"Australia had a very good bid they got one vote, we had a very good bid and we got two, the United States had an unbelievably strong technical bid and got three. Six votes in the first round between those three, there's something not quite right."
David Beckham wrote on his Facebook page that he had "heard the rumors that we lost due to the British press."
"I hope that isn't the reason," Beckham said. "I believe in a free press and they are incredibly supportive of the game I love."
Dejected supporters in London, though, turned their anger on the domestic media.
"I blame Panorama and I blame the BBC," said 20-year-old student Salim Kassam, who lives near Wembley Stadium. "Everyone here expected England to get it."
He also said that he believed England's bid was fatally damaged when FIFA President Sepp Blatter warned executive committee members of the "evils of the media" just before they voted.
Russia won the right to stage the 2018 finals on Thursday while England, which expected at least "seven or eight votes" was knocked out in the first round with just two votes including one from its own representative.
Anson said that some FIFA members told him they turned off England's bid by the British Broadcasting Corporation's Panorama documentary and the Sunday Times' investigations into corruption at FIFA.
Asked if he would advise England to bid again Anson said: "I would say right now don't bother until you know that the process is going to change to allow bids like ours a chance to win.
"When you have the best technical bid, fantastic inspection visits and the best economic report, and from what people told us the best presentation yesterday - it's quite hard to stomach that seemed to count for absolutely nothing.
Having only 22 guys voting gives them too much power and influence.
"Running two bids together for 2018 and 2022 was clearly a huge mistake.
"Everyone who had a vote and a bid clearly wanted to trade that vote for something that helped them get over the line in that campaign.
"Australia had a very good bid they got one vote, we had a very good bid and we got two, the United States had an unbelievably strong technical bid and got three. Six votes in the first round between those three, there's something not quite right."
David Beckham wrote on his Facebook page that he had "heard the rumors that we lost due to the British press."
"I hope that isn't the reason," Beckham said. "I believe in a free press and they are incredibly supportive of the game I love."
Dejected supporters in London, though, turned their anger on the domestic media.
"I blame Panorama and I blame the BBC," said 20-year-old student Salim Kassam, who lives near Wembley Stadium. "Everyone here expected England to get it."
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