By Duncan Mackay in Rio de Janeiro
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
November 23 – Russia’s Government are making final plans for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to travel to Zurich next week to support the country’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup – putting an end to doubts over whether he would make the trip.
Russian 2018 officials have confirmed to insideworldfootball that Putin will fly to Switzerland in his private jet to lobby FIFA Executive Committee members and convince them to award the tournament to Russia for the first time in its history.
“He has been a big supporter of the bid since it was launched,” a source close to the bid told insideworldfootball here at Soccerex, where several countries are undertaking last month campaigning.
“He has worked hard speaking to ExCo members and believes that he should be there at the end to support the bid.”
Russia are considered the favourites to be awarded the tournament but claims by Spain and Portugal that they have already secured up to eight votes demonstrates that there still remains work to be done before they can relax.
Russia will be hoping that Putin can reprise his performance in Guatemela City three years ago when he swept in and, against the odds, persuaded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to award Sochi the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
On that occasion he surprised many by delivering his speech in English and may well repeat that tactic in Zurich.
It was Tony Blair who demonstrated the power that country’s leaders have in helping win major bids when he travelled to Singapore in 2005 to back London’s successful campaign to host the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.
Blair’s predecessor as Prime Minister, David Cameron, has already committed to travelling to Zurich.
He and Putin will also be joined by the Prime Ministers of the four countries involved in joint bids, Belgium and Holland and Spain and Portugal.
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