World cup scandal threatens ailing England bid
By politics.co.uk staff
England’s troubled World Cup bid has been hit by claims that three men who will decide the fate of the campaign allegedly took bribes.
Panorama alleged that three of the members of Fifa’s executive committee took a series of bribes from now-bust marketing company International Sport and Leisure (ISL) in the 1990s.
The company was given exclusive rights to distribute the lucrative World Cup marketing contracts.
It emerged today that one of the men implicated, vice-president Issa Hayatou, who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), will face investigation by IOC authorities.
Fifa has stated it will not respond to the allegations, citing a 2008 court case in Switzerland which did not convict any Fifa member of criminal offences.
The furore surrounding the allegations make the chances of England securing the World Cup seem slimmer by the day.
A charm offensive comprised of Prince William, David Cameron and David Beckham is attempting to rescue the ailing bid at Fifa headquarters today.
Mr Cameron arrived earlier than planned in Zurich in an effort to impress Fifa executives after he told journalists he was ready to commit to the “hard sell” in order to secure the World Cup.
The government has made much of securing the World Cup as part of a British “decade of sport”.
