England withdraw complaint against Russian conduct in bid to host 2018 World Cup
The team behind the English bid to host the 2018 World Cup has decided to drop their complaint against Alexei Sorokin, head of the Russian bid to host the same event, after the Russian sports minister apologized for any misunderstandings between the two
teams.
The English bid team lodged a complain with FIFA on Thursday, 28 October after Sorokin was quoted in the Russian press as slating London's suitability as host city, citing high youth alcoholism and crime rates in the capital as reasons why the English bid
would not succeed.
FIFA were due to discuss the complaints on Friday, 29 October, but after reports that the body was displeased at the English complaint and an apology by sports minister Vitaly Mutko, several sources report that the complaint is in the process of being withdrawn.
"I have great respect for the England bid and we have no desire to say we are better than any other bid. If there had been any misunderstanding I am ready to apologise for it," Mutko said in his apology to Russia's bid rivals. "I can’t control all the reports
that are written. As our classics say, you shouldn’t read Bolshevik papers before lunch. We like England and we hope England likes Russia. There are two English Premier League games shown every weekend in Russia."
Moving on from controversy
After Mutko's apology, a spokesperson for the English bid team said they now wish to leave the controversies with Russia behind them and focus on the end to their bid.
"Mr. Mutko approached the England 2018 bid team with a genuine apology in an honourable manner. We, of course, accepted this apology and appreciate the gesture. We now wish to move on from this matter."
The host countries for the 2018 and the 2022 World Cups will be announced by FIFA on 2 December. Aside from England and Russia, Belgium/Netherlands and Spain/Portugal are also in with bids to host the tournament in 2018.
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