FIFA sees no reason for authorities in the United States to investigate the 2018 World Cup bidding race, its communications director told RIA Novosti on Thursday.
Reports in the British media earlier this week claimed the FBI had interviewed members of England’s failed World Cup bid to ask if they were aware of any dirty tricks by competitors during the run-up to last year’s FIFA vote in Zurich.
The Daily Telegraph said that as part of an ongoing probe into corruption, the FBI had uncovered substantial evidence of attempts to hack the email accounts of the United States’ bid for the tournament, which was eventually awarded to Russia, and suspect the English bid may also have come under attack.
The newspaper did not say where it got its information from.
Walter De Gregorio, FIFA’s recently appointed communications director, said he couldn’t understand the motivation for the reported probe.
“As far as FIFA is concerned there is no investigation whatsoever. Don’t ask me why the FBI is investigating. I don’t know. What I know is that (the FBI) is interviewing people who were involved in the (English) bid. Whatever the reason is, we have to find out,” he said.
He said FIFA would answer any requests for assistance with the investigation, but that it was unclear what information any answers would contain.
“I have to speak later on that. So far we haven’t received anything (from the FBI), and I think that we won’t.”
De Gregorio made it clear that whatever the results of the investigation, the results of the December 2010 vote in Zurich would stand.
The decision to hand the World Cup to Russia left British officials led by Prime Minister David Cameron, Prince William and David Beckham enraged, particularly in light of an expose on British television that alleged votes were sold.
“For us, Russia won the bid. I understand, that, you know, coming with Cameron, coming with Prince William and Beckham, and coming back with one vote – it’s hard, it’s pretty hard. I understand the disappointment, but at the same time you should give respect to who won the bid, to Russia.”
Russia’s 2018 organizing committee on Thursday denied any knowledge of the FBI probe, and defended its conduct during the vote process.
“We at Russia 2018 are proud of the way we conducted ourselves throughout a long and highly competitive campaign; as an LOC, we are driven by exactly the same transparency, commitment to excellence and spirit of Fair Play that underpinned our successful bid,” the committee said in a statement.
