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England lash out at system after losing bid

There is no point in countries like England, Australia or the United States bidding to host World Cup finals in the future until FIFA changes its voting system, England's bid chief Andy Anson said on Friday. Furious reactions

Updated on: Dec 04, 2010 12:12 AM IST
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There is no point in countries like England, Australia or the United States bidding to host World Cup finals in the future until FIFA changes its voting system, England's bid chief Andy Anson said on Friday.

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HT Image

He also said that he believed England's bid was fatally damaged when FIFA president Sepp Blatter warned executive committee members of the "evils of the media" just before they voted.

Russia won the right to stage the 2018 finals on Thursday while England, who expected at least "seven or eight votes" were knocked out in the first round with just two including one from their own representative.

Anson told a news briefing on Friday that some FIFA members told him they turned off England's bid by the British Broadcasting Corporation's Panorama documentary and the Sunday Times' investigations into corruption at FIFA.

Asked if he would advise England to bid again Anson said: "I would say right now don't bother until you know that the process is going to change to allow bids like ours a chance to win.

"Having only 22 guys voting gives them too much power and influence. Running two bids together for 2018 and 2022 was clearly a huge mistake.

"Everyone who had a vote and a bid clearly wanted to trade that vote for something.”

 
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