By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
October 14 – Frank Lowy believes that Australia have enough votes to win its bid to host the 2022 World Cup but admitted he cannot guarantee that everyone will keep their promise to back their campaign.
Australia are battling against the United States and Qatar for the right to host the World Cup, for which Japan and South Korea are also bidding, in a contest that is too tight to call.
Lowy believes that Australia’s bid has gone well with the voters ahead of the election in Zurich on December 2.
“Yes. Australia appears to be quite popular with the [FIFA] Executive Committee members,” he said in an interview published in The Australian.
“But I am afraid, yes, that some people might turn the other way in the last minute.
“I don’t have a full promise or commitment from anybody that they will vote for us.
“I guess that they will and I think that they will.
“I have to believe this otherwise how are we going to get the 13 votes we need [out of 24].
“But maybe people tell me or show me sympathy but do it to others too and might not vote for us.
“There are big stakes at play here and some people are just nice and won’t say ‘no’ to anybody.
“It’s politics.”
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