Russian official blasts England 2018 bid 28/10/2010 |
|
| |
| |
Relations between the England and Russia bids for the 2018 World Cup have hit a new low after a senior Russian figure slammed England’s bid team as "absolutely primitive" and "comical".
The comments by Viacheslav Koloskov, a former member of Fifa and Uefa's executive committees and an adviser to the Russia bid, come after England made a formal complaint to Fifa about its bid rivals' chief executive Alexei Sorokin.
Koloskov, honorary president of the Russian Football Union, said England "were afraid of how badly their bid is going".
England complained to Fifa that Sorokin, chief executive of Russia 2018, had highlighted London's "high crime rate" and youth alcohol problems in an interview that appeared to contravene Fifa's rules on talking about rival bidders.
Koloskov's comments were made to Russian sports website www.championat.ru and have been translated by a fluent Russian speaker working for ITV.com.
Koloskov said: "It's a comical situation. The English are afraid of how badly their bid is going. Their journalists are provoking members of the committee, and they now say one of the members of our bidding team has spoken out against England in an improper manner.
"I think it's a raising of tensions, and also an attempt to in some way influence the work of our bidding team.
"These acts have little chance of success. Russia should not be afraid of sanctions. There won't even be an investigation.
"The behaviour of the English is absolutely primitive. Instead of talking about their own excellence and merits, they try to put off their opponents."
Fifa confirmed it had received a complaint and said: "We have been in contact with the England and Russia bids in relation to this matter, which is currently pending."
It is understood the England bid team is seeking a formal apology from Sorokin for trying to denigrate its bid.
Sorokin said: "I will provide an explanation to Fifa but I do not feel that what I said originally requires an apology."
He has, however, written a “letter of explanation” to England’s bid team in an attempt to put to rest "any misunderstanding" between the two camps.
|
| Back |
| |
| |
|
|
 |
Advertisement
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
