CaughtOffside » England 2018

Jack Warner Wanted The FA To Break Fifa Regulations In Return For World Cup Vote

Jack Atchinson — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:49:39 +0000

Concacaf president wanted The FA to build an education centre in the Caribbean.

FIFA vice-president Jack Warner demanded the Football Association build an education centre in the Caribbean in return for his World Cup vote.

The Times reports the Concacaf president suggested the deal during negotiations with Lord Triesman and Sir Dave Richards, then chairman and deputy chairman of England 2018.

The two former FA officials confirmed confirmed details of the meeting at a hotel in Chelsea 18 months ago.

Warner’s request is a direct breach of FIFA rules as bidding nations are prohibited from offering gifts or other advantages to delegates.

He was one of the most influential figures on the Fifa executive committee that voted in Zurich in December on the destination of the 2018 World Cup.

As Concacaf president, Warner was seen to be controlling three of the twenty-two votes. His backing was crucial if England 2018’s bid was to win.

The meeting took place on October 7, 2009, in the business lounge of the Wyndham Grand hotel, during the first day of the Leaders in Football conference at Stamford Bridge, where Warner was staying.

Warner had been a conference speaker earlier in the day, and had also been publicly vocal in his criticism of the England bid, calling it ‘lightweight’.

Triesman and Richards say it was over drinks that Warner asked for funds to build the education centre.

“He didn’t say: ‘Do this and I’ll vote for you.’ But it was always at the back of my mind,” Richards said.

“I did nod my head at Triesman as if to say: Let’s not get into this.

“What he said was England should be building this kind of education block as a legacy throughout the world. He did say Trinidad and Tobago wanted one.

“He said it was an education set-up that he wanted for the children of Trinidad and Tobago.

“I’ve heard these stories before so I wasn’t going to get into that.

“I never discussed this with the chairman of The FA again. I didn’t want to get involved in that sort of thing. I don’t know if the FA took it any further.”

Join the Best Football Manager game now, Its Free!

Is There No Point Bidding For The World Cup Until FIFA Is Reformed?

Adam Davies — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 13:13:50 +0000

If these guys can’t win the World Cup 2018 bid to be hosted in England, who could?

Aston Villa v Tottenham tickets available from Telegraph Tickets

Bet on England with Sportingbet.com and get a free bet worth up to £50

Andy Anson, the chief executive of the England bid to host the 2018 World Cup, has said the voting process lacked “transparency” and England should not bother bidding for future finals until it changes.

Anson, speaking in Zurich earlier today following England’s failed bid to host the 2018 World Cup finals, was so incensed with the outcome of the 22-man vote in Switzerland that he said “don’t bother” bidding for future finals “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, the best economic report, and, from what people told us, the best presentation, it’s quite hard to stomach that all that seemed to count for absolutely nothing.

“Having only 22 guys only voting gives them too much influence. Running two bids together 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 and they got one vote, we had a very good bid and we got two, the Usa had an unbelievably strong technical bid and got three. Six votes in the first round between those three, there’s something not quite right.

“You have to open it up to all member associations and have transparency and open voting so everyone knows who voted for whom.

“With 22 guys having so much power it becomes very, very difficult.”

Anson added that some Fifa members had reneged on promises following Monday night’s BBC Panorama documentary that highlighted corruption in world football and that Sepp Blatter, Fifa president, had spoken to members of the “evil of the media” ahead of the vote.

“I think that was unhelpful; the last thing those guys hear before they go and tick the box is the evil of the media. That is not helpful and actually inaccurate.

“I was told by someone who was in the room that that’s the last thing they were told by Sepp Blatter. There was a final sum-up before they voted and I think it was at the beginning of that. That’s not helpful to our cause.” (Daily Telegraph)

Reactions since the loss to Russia of the bid to host the 2018 World Cup have been completely polarised.

There are those that believe English fans just have sour grapes that they lost the bid, that they have no divine right to host a tournament.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, there are those so outraged that they believe England should withdraw from FIFA altogether.

As ever in such cases, the truth is somewhere in between.

England don’t have a divine right to host the tournament, but they did have the best FIFA report – and eventual winners Russia had the worst. For the bid to only get one vote outside of our own confederation seems quite remarkable – especially if FIFA members went back on promises at the last minute, having been wined and dined for the last four years.

Spain / Portugal and the Netherlands / Belgium bid both had more glowing reports than Russia too, so they have a case for holding the World Cup ahead of the country that won, and that is part of the scandal.

The Qatar victory is even more preposterous though.

A country smaller than Yorkshire, with a population around half that of Wales will host the World Cup.

A country with no footballing heritage which has never qualified for the competition in the first place.

A country which will experience temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius throughout the summer, in which stadiums will be air conditioned down to a still sizzling 35 degrees so players can cope.

To select that nation to host the 2022 tournament seems ludicrous to many when there were impressive alternative bids from the Usa, Australia and Japan.

Both Japan and the USA admittedly hosted the World Cup within the last twenty years, but to see Australia accumulate just one vote is jarring to say the least.

It is no wonder conspiracy theorists are coming out of the woodwork, but could they – and Andy Anson – all be right?

Is there no point bidding to host the World Cup until FIFA has undergone a complete reformation?

Fleet Street: it’s time to do what you do best – some investigative journalism of the highest calibre.

Let’s reveal all the skeletons in FIFA’s closet.

Fancy a flutter? Join Sportingbet and get a free bet worth up to £50! There are countless markets to bet on including which team will win, the first goalscorer, the correct score or even the time of the last goal. You can also try your hand at an accumulator and try to win big from a small stake. So visit Sportingbet.com and register now to put your money where your mouth is.

Join the Best Football Manager game now! It’s Free!