FIFA President Sepp Blatter flags possible new vote for 2022 World Cup

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has not ruled out a rerun of voting for the 2022 World Cup host, after claims of corruption rocked last year's vote.

A rerun would give Australia a chance to snare the finals after it was knocked out in the first round of voting in December last year.

The right to host the world's biggest sporting event was controversially award to Qatar.

But Blatter told UK newspaper The Independent that an inquiry, sparked by claims of corruption made in The Sunday Times, could see the FIFA executive cast their votes again.

Blatter told the Press Association there was a groundswell of support "circulating around the world" for the voting process to be rerun.

"But don't ask me now yes or no, let us go step by step. It's like we are in an ordinary court and in an ordinary court we cannot ask: 'If, if, if'," he told the Press Assocation.

FIFA president since 1998, Blatter is being challenged by Qatari Mohammed Bin Hammam, 61, president of the Asian Football Confederation, at the June 1 poll.

The 75-year-old Swiss says Bin Hammam wants "total change", which could lead to the "dismantling" of FIFA.

"I'm very confident," Blatter said during a recent interview.

"FIFA isn't ready for total change, where the running of operations would go to the six confederations. If we dismantle the pyramid, it will fall down.''

Blatter said he had been boosted by support from UEFA president Michel Platini and the Oceania Federation.

Cameron boosts 2018 World Cup bid

Prime Minister David Cameron met Fifa president Sepp Blatter ahead of the vote on the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts

England's 2018 World Cup bid appeared to be gathering momentum ahead of Thursday's vote with Prime Minister David Cameron taking centre-stage in the lobbying of Fifa members.

Mr Cameron spent Tuesday afternoon and evening meeting some of the 22 Fifa executive committee members who will vote on the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts.

The Prime Minister met Fifa president Sepp Blatter first and then vice-president Jack Warner, whose vote is so pivotal to England's hopes.

Mr Cameron also held meetings with four other Fifa members: two African members Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma, Cyprus' Marios Lefkaritis, and Qatar's Mohammed bin Hammam, plus other talks with the Emir of Qatar.

The series of meetings contrasts with the absence of Vladimir Putin, prime minister of Russia, one of England's rivals for 2018 along with Spain/Portugal and Holland/Belgium.

After his meeting, Mr Warner gave England's bid a significant boost by praising English football's international development work. He said: "The British Prime Minister understands the importance and power of football. He reiterated his Government's commitment to the World Cup and spoke extensively about England's legacy programme.

"Over the last decade England has supported not only Concacaf but all federations in their development activities and I must commend the Prime Minister and the FA for that."

In another boost for England, Mr Hayatou, the Fifa vice-president accused by BBC Panorama of taking payments, insisted he was innocent - and that he would not take out his anger on England's bid. Mr Hayatou has threatened legal action against Panorama over their claim he accepted a £10,000 payment in 1995 - he said the money was given to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) towards their 40th anniversary celebrations.

Mr Hayatou told Press Association Sport: "There is a big difference between Panorama and my relationship with the England bid, there is no confusion in my mind."

David Beckham, who will take part in England's presentation with Mr Cameron and Prince William on Thursday, will give a news conference on Wednesday morning. Beckham was with Mr Cameron at the meeting with Mr Blatter where they attempted to smooth over any ill feeling caused by Panorama.

Read More

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jCymX4as3_5uLY3lloP1TdoWFIwQ?docId=N0367961291176721330A

BBC defends Panorama investigation into Fifa 'bribes'

Fifa executives Ricardo Teixeira, Issa Hayatou and Nicolas Leoz

The BBC has defended a documentary which alleges three Fifa officials took bribes in the 1990s.

Nicolas Leoz, Issa Hayatou and Ricardo Teixeira took the money from a sport marketing firm awarded lucrative World Cup rights, Panorama alleges.

The BBC investigation was shown three days before a vote to decide the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

BBC executive editor Clive Edwards said it was Panorama's job "to investigate corruption and wrongdoing".

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has asked the BBC to hand over any evidence it has relating to the claims made against Mr Hayatou, who is a long-standing member of the IOC.

The alleged bribes are included in a confidential document listing 175 payments totalling about $100m (£64m).

The three men did not respond to Panorama over the allegations.

Fifa, world football's governing body, also declined interview requests to address the allegations.

However, in a statement issued on Tuesday, it said the case was "definitely closed" as allegations had already been investigated in Switzerland, with no Fifa officials being convicted.

In its programme broadcast on Monday, Panorama reported on evidence a fourth senior Fifa executive - vice-president Jack Warner - continues to be involved in the resale of World Cup tickets to touts.

The BBC stood by its decision to air the allegations ahead of Thursday's vote in Zurich.

Clive Edwards told Radio 4's Today programme that Panorama had received a list showing the alleged payment of bribes in October, and had spent the intervening time checking the claims and putting them to those named.

Mr Edwards added Panorama presented its evidence to Fifa on 10 November.

"Some people have said that it would have been better to do it after the vote but it is surely nonsense to suggest that you know a process could be flawed and you don't say anything until after it has happened," Mr Edwards said.

"I am not prepared to sit on information we have. I believe that it is in everyone's interest that there should be a fair process and that corruption should be exposed."
British press

The BBC has been criticised by the English FA, which is competing with Russia, Spain/Portugal and Netherlands/Belgium to host the 2018 tournament.

A statement from the FA described the investigation as an "embarrassment to the BBC".

"We stand by our previous position that the BBC's Panorama did nothing more than rake over a series of historical allegations none of which are relevant to the current bidding process.

"The 2018 team are entirely focused on winning the bid for England."

But Michel Platini, president of football's European governing body Uefa, said the Panorama programme should not affect England's bid to hold the World Cup.

Speaking to reporters after the documentary aired, he said: "I don't think this programme will have an effect, no - but I think what may affect the decision is the atmosphere going back a long time and what people have been writing about Fifa in the British press for many years."

The alleged bribes to the three members of Fifa's executive committee were paid by sports marketing company International Sport and Leisure (ISL) and date from 1989 to 1999, Panorama reports. The company collapsed in 2001.

Fifa granted ISL exclusive rights to market World Cup tournaments to some of the world's biggest brands and ISL received millions more from negotiating television broadcast rights.

Some details of the alleged bribes emerged in 2008, when six ISL managers were accused of misusing company money. Bribery was not a criminal offence in Switzerland at the time the money was allegedly paid out.
Closely linked

One Fifa official - Nicolas Leoz of Paraguay, the head of South America's football confederation - was named in court papers in connection with payments totalling $130,000 (£83,000)


Read More

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11874091