http://www.skysports.com/football/n...r-says-russia-2018-agreement-made-before-vote Sepp Blatter says it was "agreed" to hold the 2018 World Cup in Russia before the vote even took place. Blatter's revelation was made during an interview with a Russian news agency in which he also called his current suspension "total nonsense" and blamed FIFA's ongoing crisis on the last-minute decision of four Europeans to endorse Qatar as 2022 hosts. Russia and Qatar were awarded hosting rights in December 2010 but, according to Blatter, the plan within FIFA was for Russia and the United States - not Qatar - to hold successive tournaments. And the suspended president claims it was his potential successor and Qatar supporter, UEFA boss Michel Platini, who was the driving force behind the switch of allegiance. Blatter told TASS: "In 2010, we had a discussion of the World Cup and then we went to a double decision. 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. "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 [to the USA]. "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." Blatter also said Russia's right to the 2018 finals was now "anchored" and irreversible before turning his sights on the Ethics Committee responsible for his ongoing 90-day ban over an alleged "disloyal payment" to Platini. Platini and FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke are also currently suspended, and Blatter said: "This is not justice. I put these people into the office, where they are now in the ethics committee and they don't even have the courage to listen to the secretary general, Platini or me. The FA will be asked on Wednesday why they decided to back Michel Platini for the FIFA presidency before he was suspended "I called them for the principles of the human rights: before to be suspended or excluded from somewhere you have the right to answer and they have denied this. They made a summary investigation and three days later I was suspended." There was also criticism of England, who were failed bidders for 2018 and whose Football Association has, in recent times, been among the most outspoken critics of Blatter's regime. "Bad losers," Blatter said. "In Great Britain they have made this beautiful game, they have introduced fair play. But there was only one vote going for England. They were eliminated in the first round. Nobody wanted to have England." And the 79-year-old even claimed he has become "a ball in a big political power game" since Platini called for his resignation after the arrest of several FIFA officials in May on the eve of this year's annual conference. "At the beginning it was only a personal attack. It was Platini against me. He started it, but then it became politics," he said. "And when it is in politics, it is not any longer Platini against me. It is then those who have lost the World Cup. England against Russia. They lost the World Cup. And the USA lost the World Cup against Qatar. "But you cannot destroy FIFA. FIFA is not the Swiss bank. FIFA is not a commercial company. So, what they have done together with the Swiss, they have created this attack towards FIFA and the president of FIFA,"
So he is openly admitting that the whole voting process, the whole arty fartying on in Zurich when the winners are revealed, is a total waste of millions of pounds and an absolute waste of time because they all have a fair idea who is going to win it anyway? If that's not openly admitting to corruption, I don't know what is!
Don't think it's any surprise that the members talked to each other before the vote and said who they'd be voting for etc. The biggest revelation for me is that it was expected the 2022 would go to USA until Platini convinced some of his members to vote Qatar instead after meeting the prince! They're all dodgy as ****, the major nations (England, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, France, Argies, Brazil, Italy etc) should all quit FIFA and start their own governing body, I guarantee 99% would follow.
All national football associations should now act as one and boycott the Russia world cup....the whole thing should be up for vote again...same as Qatar
Then what is the blooming point of having this whole song and dance ballot thing in Zurich? Oh, I know why! So it looks like it is done in a democratic manner and not to look like it's already been decided through money changing hands over the previous few month/years. Nobody should know who the other person is gonna vote for, otherwise it just leaves everything open for corruption. It wouldn't surprise me if lives are threatened over the whole thing. Either accept the bribe or accept the car bomb! I would have more respect for them if they just openly chose the venue themselves after accepting the highest bidder/bribe rather than them trying to make it look like a venue has been chosen by fair means and for the good of football.
Not surprised they're corrupting against each other within the corruption. Nowt further to say other than the usual. All countries should turn their back on it. Get shot of it forever.
Not sure how possible or plausible it is for there to be a vote in which no one has a clue how other people will be voting. Sounds good but in the real world just wouldn't happen! All I'd ask is that votes are cast based on the pros and cons of each bid on their merit, that is all!
Just seen one of the candidates for presidency is a Liberian oil and gas businessman who has support from 25 African nations! One of the main reasons Dyke proposed that we couldn't form a new governing body was that all the African countries support FIFA. Would football be any worse off if we told Africa to either fall in line or **** off? Leave behind Liberia, Tunisia, Libya, Kenya, Congo et al. They add nothing to football. Can only think of about 3 African countries that I'd miss if they weren't part of the World Cup tbj.
So we are bad losers for being upset that we wasted £10million trying to win something when it had already been decided we`d lost. Very good Blatter, Your best one yet.
What the **** is Blatter on ? " we would only speak about the wonderful World Cup 2018 in Russia " It isnt going to be a wonderful world cup, it will be a complete ****ing disaster. Fans traveling hundreds of miles to get to different stadiums, on **** transport, while any black players will be subject to racism, and russian "ultra" fans cause all kinds of trouble. That isnt even considering Russia aggressive political stance at the moment, stirring **** up in Ukraine and appaling rights record.
This is reported in TASS which I believe is the Russian word for truth. If he wanted the whole world to know the machinations about the allocations of WCs then surely he would have issued an official statement through FIFA to keep it "clean" and believable. Reading between the lines it looks like Russia is just having a piss take of the USA as it was the French who swayed it against the Yanks and who likes the Brits anyway! For now I will treat as bollocks until more emerges.
Is he actually in Russia atm? He might decide to stay there. No extradition treaty? Just thinking out loud.
Might be out of our age band here Pops, but it is not the Russia we remember. They have toilet paper now and it has Tass and pictures of Stalin on it.
I hope they`ve developed enough to use the soft stuff and not still the hurtsome variety. I just wouldn`t be surprised if the owld bugger decided on an extra long (permanent) holiday. I wouldn`t put it past him and he`s not exactly a pauper.
Why did I get the vision of Blatter disappearing from the face of the earth only to pop up sat at the right hand of Putin when the world cup is presented to the England captain.
