Delegates draw sting from 2018 exposé

BRITAIN’S Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has been assured by FIFA delegates that England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup will not be adversely affected by tonight’s Panorama programme.

Bid leader Andy Anson accused the BBC of being “unpatriotic” for choosing to broadcast an investigation into FIFA three days before the vote to decide the 2018 hosts.

There have also been reports that The Sunday Times exposé on corruption within FIFA, which led to two delegates being suspended, had caused anti-English sentiment.

But Hunt said he has spoken to nearly half of the FIFA delegates and received assurances that their vote would be cast on the quality of England’s bid alone.

“I hope that is the case. All the FIFA delegates I have spoken to have assured me that is the case,” Hunt told BBC radio.

“I strongly defend the fact we have a free media that operate at arm’s length to the government.

“I did speak to one member of the FIFA ethics committee when I was in Kuala Lumpur and he said to me he recognised the government had no control over the media in England, nor should it, and he was confident that wouldn’t affect the England 2018 bid and I very much hope it is right.

“We are going into this week very upbeat. I really think we can win this.”

England are competing with Russia and joint bids from Spain/Portugal and Holland/Belgium for the right to host the 2018 World Cup.

Hunt conceded England are underdogs heading into the vote on December 2 but he drew the analogy of Tottenham trailing Arsenal 2-0 at half-time last weekend only to win 3-2.

Meanwhile, Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam has denied reports stating that he has agreed to back the Spain-Portugal bid. Spanish newspaper Marca quoted the Asian football chief as saying he would give the Iberian bid his support in return for their backing for Qatar’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup.

Support from Asia would be a setback for England’s own World Cup ambitions, with Conmebol general secretary Eduardo Deluca having confirmed last Wednesday that Latin America’s three votes would go to the Spain-Portugal bid, meaning they would potentially have seven guaranteed votes for Thursday’s poll in Zurich.

However, on his official website, bin Hammam insisted he has never publicly supported one bid.