England, Holland-Belgium bids push for Asia vote

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KUALA LUMPUR: Rival bids for the 2018 football World Cup from England and Holland-Belgium, on yesterday made final pitches to secure Asian support ahead of next week’s FIFA vote in Zurich.

Officials from the two bid teams made 30-minute presentations to members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), whose executive committee was meeting at the body’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

The England team was led by FIFA vice-president   Geoff Thompson, who highlighted a report from football’s world governing body which said “a World Cup in England would be highly profitable and low risk”.

“We are fortunate to have this great platform to build on,” he said in comments released by the AFC.

“If we are given the honour then we will welcome the whole world in the most spectacular fashion. A World Cup in England will benefit the whole world.”

Britain’s culture and sport minister Jeremy Hunt said that London’s 2012 Olympics would be a ‘warm-up’ for a World Cup.

Michael van Praag, chairman of the Holland-Belgium joint bid promised a ‘green’ World Cup that would deliver safety, efficiency and comfort.

In a bid to cut carbon emissions, two million bicycles will be made available to fans to commute from train stations to the stadiums.

“We can guarantee a successful World Cup and (one that would be) profitable for FIFA,” he told AFP after meeting with the AFC officials.

AFC president Mohamed Hammam joined FIFA vice-president Chung Mong-joon of South Korea, and executive committee members Junji Ogura of Japan and Worawi Makudi of Thailand, at the bid presentation.

The other bidders are Spain-Portugal and Russia.

For the 2022 event, Australia, the United States, Japan, Qatar, Russia and South Korea are in contention.

The hosts of both tournaments will be chosen simultaneously by FIFA’s executive committee in Zurich on December 2.

FIFA suspended two executive committee members this month after a probe into newspaper reports of corruption or ethical misconduct in the race to host the two World Cups.

Both men intend to appeal.

Four other football officials were also sanctioned, but the ethics probe threw out allegations of illicit collusion between bidders Qatar and Spain-Portugal in an exchange of favours between 2018 and 2022 candidates. — AFP