Australia gets bid boost after compensation agreement

By Andrew Warshaw

March 18 – Australia’s bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022 has received a timely boost following an agreement on the principle of paying compensation to rival sports unhappy at being marginalised during the event.

At the first ever face-to-face meeting between the Football Federation Australia (FFA), other codes and a Government-appointed Task Force, agreement was reached in Canberra on a number of key issues that will enable FFA to count on the full backing of all parties.

Australia’s bid has been marred by a spate of internal disagreements, with the two rugby codes and Aussie Rules uncomfortable at playing second fiddle to soccer and having their stadiums used by a sport which ranks way down the list in terms of of national popularity.

Although levels of compensation will be defined at a later date, the FFA has now effectively agreed to pay off the other codes to ensure a harmonious run-in to the vote in Zurich on December 2.

“The FFA has now accepted that other codes will be disrupted temporarily if we win the World Cup,” said FFA chief Ben Buckley.

“We agree with the Government that no code should be left worse off and we will work with them to minimise disruption.

“The meeting agreed on a clear process over the next few weeks to finalise agreement on the principles of compensation for the other football codes.”

Unlike some other bids, the Aussies are determined not to leave any white elephants after staging the World Cup.

If successful, stadiums upgraded for the tournament will revert back to their original sports – in a far better state than they were before.

“We will go to FIFA with a list of stadia that will have a legacy not just for our sport but for other sports too,” said an Aussie bid insider.

“There will be a real benefit to Australian sport as a whole.”

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