Wrong decision to hold 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes together admits Blatter

By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich

October 29 - FIFA President Sepp Blatter admitted for the first time today that it was the wrong decision to stage a double vote for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups - but said the organisation had no choice but to proceed on schedule despite a string of corruption allegations.

As exclusively reported last night by insideworldfootball, FIFA’s Executive Committee decided to preserve the status quo and not move either tournament to an alternative date following two weeks of bribery and collusion allegations.

But Blatter conceded following a meeting of Fifa’s executive committee that taking both secret ballots on December 2 had been flawed thinking - though only after his initial comments were mistranslated.

Announcing that FIFA had decided to not to alter the bidding process despite two of its members being provisionally suspended and two bidding nations under investigation, Blatter started by saying: “We asked ourselves the question whether it had been wise to have a double bid for two World Cups.”

He next comment, vitally telling in terms of his position, was translated from French to English as “I believe it was not wrong and is a good decision”.

When quizzed by insideworldfootball, Blatter, now speaking in English, gave his true opinion on the issue.

“Im not convinced it was the right thing to do but we must go on,” he said.

“Of course it was a decision taken by the Executive Committee but it’s the President who is responsible and accountable for this organisation.”

It was a hugely significant remark that will reverberate around the world in terms of Blatter’s own credibility with a Presidential election to come next May.

The reason for retaining both tournaments of the same date, he said, was that there was not enough time to delay the vote.

FIFA’ s Ethics Committee reconvenes on November 17 when both Amos Adamu of Nigeria and Reynald Temarii of Tahiti could have their suspensions turned into expulsions from the exco for allegedly trading their votes for cash.

“We are five weeks from the final decision so there was never a question of changing anything,” said Blatter.

“So on 2 December the FIFA Executive Committee will decide in a secret ballot the hosts for 2018 and 2022.”

If Adamu and Temarii are not re-instated after their alleged roles in the unprecedented World Cup scandal, FIFA confirmed that only 22 Executive members will cast their votes following a campaign that has been mired in controversy.

Blatter, whose leadership has rarely been under greater pressure, denounced the Sunday Times, whose reporters went undercover to gather their information, as “trying to set traps” but he could not escape the gravity of the past two weeks.

“The situation is what it is and FIFA immediately elerted the Ethics Committee,” Blatter said.

“They will deliver their final verdict on November 17.

“It’s not a comfortable situation for the President of FIFA.”

FIFA also announced that, in a break with tradition, that the final 30-minute World Cup presentations will take place over a two-day period given the fact that there are nine bidding candidates.

Australia will kick off proceedings on December 1 followed by the other four contenders for 2022.

The four European candidates for 2018 will then make their presentations on the day of the vote itself.

Russia will be last, following England on to the podium, a tasty transcript to the latest spat between the two bidding nations.

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