FIFA defends world cup vote in Zurich
Play VideoThere may be dissatisfaction among many of the losing bidders for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments, but FIFA is standing firm over the results of last week's secret ballot of FIFA executive committee members in Zurich.
FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said, 'I mean, in sport you should learn to win and to lose. Two countries over nine, they won, and the other seven have lost. That was clear in the beginning, that only two countries would be winners, and that's it, and the decision went and the process went very well. So there is no more to add. Good luck to all the other countries who will bid, I am sure, in the future, and very well done and congratulations to Russia and Qatar, and there will be two great World Cups in these countries.'
Although the bid process has become more transparent in recent years, the crucial vote - by FIFA's Executive Committee members - is still carried out behind closed doors.FIFA says that there's a need for a closed ballot at FIFA, because many governments and other individuals are interested in potentially influencing the votes of the members. To vote closely is the way to give people the proper protection.Like 2022 host Qatar, 2018 host Russia has never staged the tournament either.There have been reports that the English FA is so unhappy with the voting process that it is considering withdrawing entirely from FIFA.FIFA has shot this down, saying FIFA has gotten confirmation from the English FA that they don't want to leave the FIFA football family at all.
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