Putin signs Russia's World Cup bid guarantees

By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year

April 19 – Vladimir Putin (pictured left) has personally signed all the Governmental guarantees demanded by FIFA as part of Russia’s bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, it was revealed today.

Russian officials hope that the Prime Minister’s involvement it is a further demonstration of the level of high-level support that its campaign enjoys as the deadline approaches for the nine countries hoping to stage the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to submit their bid books.

The guarantees signed by Putin apply to a wide range of relevant issues such as security, tax and customs breaks,
entry rules for athletes, referees and fans, intellectual property and its protection, and the construction of new stadiums.

The relevant documents will be an integral part of the official bid books that will be handed over to FIFA President Sepp Blatter in Zurich on May 14 by Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, who has been given special responsibility for overseeing the country’s bid.

Putin was also similarly closely involved with Sochi’s successful bid to host the 2014 Winter Olympics.

It is generally accepted that it was his decision to attend the final decision at the International Olympic Committee’s Session in Guatemala City on the eve of the vote in July 2007 that proved decisive and helped Sochi beat the favourites, Pyeongchang from South Korea.

Putin oversaw the progress on the guarantees for the World Cup after making them an item of the agenda of the meeting of the Government Presidium of the Russian Federation held in Moscow last month.

A dedicated stadium construction guarantee includes a reference that “with the support of the Government of the Russian Federation” ten new World Cup-specific stadiums will be built as presented in the Bid Book schedules.

But Putin has promised that Russia’s readiness will go beyond the mere sporting infrastructure.

He said: ”The World Cup preparations will not only require a large number of new sports facilities.

“They will also mean that we must develop – and are certain to do so if our bid is accepted – additional infrastructure: airports, roads, hotels and other tourist facilities in at least 10 major Russian cities, if not more.

“All of that would remain to be used by our people for decades to come.”

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