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Soccer
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Blatter Blast England, USA & Platini

IslandStats.com
Suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter has suggested there was an agreement in place for Russia to host the 2018 World Cup - before the vote took place.

The 79-year-old told Russian news agency Tass of a "discussion" in 2010 about future World Cups.

He said a late swing in voting that gave Qatar the 2022 World Cup undid a similar agreement to hand it to the US.

Swiss Blatter is serving a 90-day ban alongside UEFA chief Michel Platini, and both deny any wrongdoing.

Larry Mussenden the Bermuda Football Association President and Chairman of the FIFA Appeals Committee will hear the pairs appeals very shortly.

Asked whether it was a mistake to hold voting for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments simultaneously, Blatter replied that before the ballot: "It was agreed inside the group that we go to Russia because it has never been to Eastern Europe, and for 2022 we go back to America.

"And so we would have the World Cup in the two biggest political powers."

But he added that four votes from Europe later switched from the USA to Qatar.

The bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments is the subject of an ongoing Swiss criminal investigation. It was begun alongside a US inquiry following the arrest and indictment of several top executives by the US Department of Justice on corruption charges.

UEFA President Platini, who is FIFA's suspended vice-president, was the target for most of Blatter's criticism, with the Frenchman accused of being motivated by "envy and jealousy".

Both are currently suspended while FIFA investigates a £1.35m payment made to Platini in 2011, which the pair say was for work as Blatter's adviser.

The payment was made months before Platini decided not to challenge Blatter in the 2011 FIFA Presidential Election.

"At the beginning it was only a personal attack - it was Platini against me," said Blatter.

"He started it, but then it became politics and when it is in politics, it is not any longer Platini against me.

"It is then those who have lost the World Cup - England against Russia. They lost the World Cup and the USA lost the World Cup against Qatar.

"Platini wanted to be FIFA president but he did not have the courage to go as the President and now we are in such a situation in football."
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