ZURICH, (Reuters) – African soccer president Issa Hayatou said his conscience was clear yesterday after a British TV programme made bribery claims as he and the rest of FIFA’s executive committee prepared to choose the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts.
The BBC’s Panorama said that a payment Hayatou received from FIFA’s former marketing partner ISL was a bribe, an allegation he batted away in a television interview given to Reuters two days before the vote.
“Personally, I know no-one can influence me,” Hayatou, head of the African Football Confederation (CAF), said. “I will vote with a clear conscience.”
Soccer’s governing body FIFA also dismissed claims made in the programme, saying the case had already been closed after an investigation.
It forced England’s bit for 2018 to scramble, though, as British Prime Minister David Cameron teamed up with David Beckham to promise FIFA president Sepp Blatter the country’s media would provide great support for the tournament.
“What we made clear to him, and what he already knows, is that if we were to get this World Cup in our country in 2018, our media would be right behind us,” Beckham told television reporters.
England is up against three other bids for the right to stage the 2018 World Cup — Russia, Spain/Portugal and Netherlands/Belgium.
The 2022 race is between Australia, Japan, Qatar, South Korea and the United States.
FIFA’s executive committee will make its choice in a private vote of members on Thursday, after hearing final presentations from the candidates over the next two days.
Australia will be the first bidder for 2022 to present today, followed by South Korea, Qatar, the United States and Japan.
The joint-bid for Belgium/Netherlands will go first this morning followed by 2018 rivals Spain/Portugal, England and Russia.
While Cameron came to push England’s bid and former U.S. President Bill Clinton was expected to arrive in Zurich late on Tuesday to push his country’s claims, it was still unclear whether Prime Minister Vladimir Putin would speak in person for Russia.
“I cannot say whether he will or will not go there,” Putin’s spokesman said yesterday.
The Spain/Portugal bid was quiet yesterday — in stark contrast to the Netherlands/Belgium, who brought an oompah band and dozens of fans to provide support at their presentation in a posh city centre bar.
