...

England bid chief urges FIFA vote reform after World Cup debacle

Other News Materials 3 December 2010 14:58 (UTC +04:00)

England 2018 bid chief executive Andy Anson called Friday for FIFA's voting procedure to be changed following the decision to award World Cups to Russia and Qatar, DPA reported.

Anson also advised his country against bidding again for the tournament until FIFA reformed the process.

FIFA's 22-man executive committee picked Russia for the 2018 tournament and Qatar for 2022 in a secret ballot in Zurich Thursday.

England, which was bidding for 2018 against Russia, Portugal/Spain and Belgium/Netherlands, crashed out in the first round with just two votes - one of them its own.

"I would say right now don't bother (bidding) unless you know the process is going to change," Anson said.

"When there are only 22 guys that gives them too much influence."

England, which was the 1966 World Cup hosts, had received a strong evaluation report from FIFA, while their final presentation on Thursday was described by the world governing body's president, Joseph Blatter, as "excellent and remarkable."

Prince William, Prime Minister David Cameron and David Beckham lobbied hard for votes, but Anson suggested executive committee members went back on their word by voting for England's rivals.

There was also speculation that British media reports on corruption with FIFA led to a backlash against the bid.

"I still find it hard to understand what happened," Anson said.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush. Individual members promised to vote for us and didn't clearly. That's difficult to stomach when they have given you assurances.

"They are saying to us that our media killed us but I don't believe that for one minute, but that's what we are being told."

The England 2018 team believe African confederation president Issa Hayatou voted for them, along with its own bid chairman, Geoff Thompson.

On the voting procedure, Anson said only 22 of FIFA's 208 national football associations were included in the ballot, and the voting pattern of individual delegates was kept secret.

"You have got to open it up to all the member associations. You've got to widen the electorate," he said.

"For me, you should have transparency and open voting so that everyone knows who voted for whom, because I don't believe that the secret ballot actually helps transparency at all.

"It leads to the situation we had yesterday where people promise you something and don't deliver."

The British press also widely condemned the voting, with the tabloid Sun calling the bidding process a "fix." Former England manager Terry Venables, writing in the paper, said the vote was "a complete and utter sham."

The Daily Mirror said FIFA again showed how untransparent its process is.

"All the people who criticised the British media for exposing corruption within FIFA should hang their heads in shame," it wrote.

There was also condemnation in Australia of the bidding process. Australia picked up only a single vote in its bid for the 2022 tournament.

Leading internet betting agency Sportsbet refunded all bets placed on Australia winning.

"Our members place bets knowing their selection has a chance at whatever the odds dictate," Sportsbet spokesman Matthew Campbell said.

"Australia had no chance. We were robbed and our members deserve their money back."

Latest

Latest