By Andrew Warshaw
July 27 – Was it deliberately held back in order to have maximum impact at Saturday’s World Cup draw?
Sepp Blatter’s revelation in front of Vladimir Putin and witnessed by a global audience of millions that his new-look executive committee had passed a resolution supporting Russia’s staging of the tournament may not have taken the world by storm but it certainly took seasoned observers by surprise.
Blatter made no mention of such a planned move at a press conference following last week’s executive committee meeting, the first since he announced his decision to step down from his corruption-tarnished body.
It would appear the executive committee, although they had no scheduled meeting in St. Petersburg according to Fifa’s calendar, came up with the resolution 24 hours before Russia’s biggest day since being awarded the tournament in December 2010.
Sources have told Insideworldfootball that it was agreed by exco members who double up as members of FIFA’s World Cup organisation committee that met on the eve of the draw.
In any event it represented a minor victory for Blatter who has consistently supported Russia and its hosting of the 2018 World Cup in the face of pre-dominantly US pressure.
“Yesterday, and I’m so happy to announce it to you, Mr President, and for the Russian people, FIFA’s Executive Committee expressed again its trust and confidence in Russia for the organisation of this competition,” said Blatter. “Trust in Russian authorities, organising committee, and in the Russian people.”
The Swiss authorities are looking into the entire bid process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in a probe that could take several months to complete
But Blatter told Putin and scores of federations in attendance: “I would like to inform you that the executive committee has recently adopted a new resolution in which FIFA assures the Russian Federation of its full support in carrying out the World Cup in Russia in 2018.”
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