29 October,2010 07:24 AM IST | | AFP
England have decided to drop their complaint to FIFA against the head of rival World Cup 2018 bid hopefuls Russia, a spokesperson announced last night.
The English bid team had submitted a formal complaint to the world football governing body after Russia 2018 chief executive Alexei Sorokin highlighted London's "high crime rate" and problems with youth alcohol.
Sorokin's remarks contravened FIFA's rules about the behaviour of bid teams and tensions were stoked further yesterday when Russian Football Union (RFU) honorary president Viacheslav Koloskov called the England bid team "absolutely primitive" and "comical".
Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko apologised, however, prompting the England 2018 camp to withdraw their complaint.
"Mutko approached England 2018 chairman Geoff Thompson with a genuine apology in an honourable manner," said a spokesperson for the England bid.
"We, of course, accepted this apology and appreciate the gesture. We now wish to move on from this matter."
Earlier yesterday, the chief of the joint Spanish-Portugal bid to stage the 2018 World Cup denied allegations of collusion with 2022 candidate Qatar in the bidding process.
British newspaper The Sunday Times ran a report and video on Sunday by undercover journalists posing as lobbyists, which included reported remarks by ex-FIFA general secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen about Spain-Portugal and Qatar's bids to host the World Cup in 2018 and 2022.
FIFA on Monday had said it had asked the newspaper to provide more evidence for a probe into the scandal. ufffd
