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By Andrew Warsahw
July 29 – Russia has hauled in its big-hitters, including Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, to take part in a high-profile sports forum a fortnight before becoming the first European candidate for the 2018 World Cup to be scrutinised by FIFA’s six-man inspection team.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
July 16 – Chelsea chairman Roman Abramovich has stepped in to pay the remaining 95 million rubles (£2 million/$3 million) salary of former Russian coach Guus Hiddink to avoid a damaging legal action which could have overshadowed the country’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
July 5 – Senior senators have called for the dismissal of FIFA Executive Committee member Vitaly Mutko (pictured) as Russia’s Sports Minister following revelations he charged for five breakfasts a day during the Vancouver Olympics and a new survey ranked him as the country’s second most disliked Government official.
July 4 – Pressure is growing on FIFA Executive Committee member Vitaly Mutko (pictured) to resign as Russia’s Sports Minister after it emerged that he claimed expenses for the equivalent of five breakfasts a day while he was attending the Olympics in Vancouver earlier this year, where the team had its worst ever performance.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
July 2 – FIFA Executive Committee Vitaly Mutko is again under pressure to resign as Russia’s Sports Minister after a damning Government report into the country’s poor performance at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver earlier this year revealed that his hotel suite during the Games cost $1,500 (£986) a night.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 15 – Russia had two volumes of its bid book for the 2018 World Cup stolen during a special Expo held attended by Romam Abramovich and David Beckham in Johannesburg last week, they have revealed.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 10 – Roman Abramovich has flown to South Africa to make his first formal appearance in Russia’s campaign to host the 2018 World Cup, lobbying against England even though he is the owner of Premier League champions Chelsea.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 8 – Russia has offered to help Trinidad and Tobago “in any way possible” in what seems to be an effort to persuade FIFA vice-president Jack Warner to vote for their World Cup bid ahead of England.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 5 – The Russian 2018 World Cup bid team are taking Arsenal star Andrei Arshavin to South Africa next week in a bid to woo members of the FIFA Executive Committee.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 14 – The leader of Russia’s 2018 World Cup bid insists his country deserves to stage the tournament over the rest of his European rivals.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
May 13 – Russia have tried to put a positive spin on their lack of modern football stadiums and facilities by claiming that awarding them the 2018 World Cup would help the development of the sport in the world’s biggest country, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov claimed today.
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May 10 – Russia’s bid book to stage the 2018 World Cup will consist of a massive three volumes with a total of 1,100 pages.
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By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
May 6 – Billionaire Alisher Usmanov (pictured), the second biggest shareholder at Premier League Arsenal, is to financially help Russia’s bid to host the 2018 of 2022 World Cup, it was announced today.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 4 - FIFA President Sepp Blatter has wracked up the tension ahead of next week’s 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid book handover by labelling Russia’s campaign as “remarkable”.
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.