Sepp Blatter: England Are Bad Losers

Sepp Blatter gives his reaction to the losing bids

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has blasted England, labelling them as 'bad losers' following their failed 2018 World Cup bid, the decision sparked outrage after Fifa awarded 2018 World Cup to Russia last week.

England’s bid fell at the first hurdle after getting eliminated in the first round, only recording two votes with one coming from former FA chairman, Geoff Thompson. Russia and Qatar were last week chosen by Fifa's executive committee to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups respectively.

A BBC Panorama documentary and the Sunday Times revealed corruption within Fifa and that committee members Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii accepted money in return for their votes.

Blatter insists he was shocked by the reaction in England, after England learned that they lost in their bid to host the 2018 World Cup and also criticised the reaction of all losing bidders.

"To be honest, I was surprised by all the English complaining after the defeat. England, of all people, the motherland of fairplay ideas," Blatter told Swiss magazine Weltwoche.

"Now some of them are showing themselves to be bad losers. You can't come afterwards and say so and so promised to vote for England.

"The results are known. The outcome came out clearly.

"I really sense in some reactions a bit of the arrogance of the western world of Christian background. Some simply can't bear it if others get a chance for a change.

"What can be wrong if we start football in regions where this sport demonstrates a potential which goes far beyond sport?"

Speaking on Corruption in Fifa’s organization, he added; "There is no systematic corruption in FIFA. That is nonsense," he said. "We are financially clean and clear."

But Blatter said FIFA could not act as if nothing had happened, adding he wanted to set up a taskforce to look into compliance issues, without giving details.

"We need to improve our image. We also need to clarify some things within FIFA," he said.

Asked if he would still be FIFA president to open the Qatar World Cup in 2022, Blatter said: "Definitely not. If God wills it, I will be invited to the opening party on crutches or in a wheelchair."

Roger Burden condemns Fifa

Acting Football Association chairman Roger Burden has admitted that he will not run for the full-time role in protest at Fifa's World Cup bidding process.

Burden stepped into the job on a temporary basis following Lord Triesman's sudden departure in May and had indicated that he wanted to stay on.

Roger Burden has confirmed he will not run for the position following the events in Zurich, the acting FA chairman admitted in his position he would need to work with Fifa members, whom he cannot trust now, but he will remain as acting chairman until a successor is found.

Russia was announced on Thursday as the nation to hold the 2018 World Cup with Qatar taking the 2022 World Cup, England went out in the first round after just receiving two votes from committee members, including one from Geoff Thompson, former chairman of the Football Association and current Uefa and Fifa vice-president, this has outraged Roger Burden..

The acting FA chairman released a statement saying, “It is difficult to believe that the voting was an objective process,"

"I had applied for the position of chairman. I recognise that an important part of the role is liaison with Fifa, our global governing body.

"I am not prepared to deal with people whom I cannot trust and I have withdrawn my candidacy."

Speaking on Russian winning and England’s own bid, he added;

"I have no issue with Russia's winning bid. I am sure they will put on a great World Cup and I have congratulated them," Burden said.

"We were equal top of Fifa's own technical assessment of the four bids. We were top of an independent assessment of the best commercial bids and our presentation on Thursday was widely acclaimed as the best of the 2018 and 2022 bids.

"Against this background, I am struggling to understand how we only achieved two votes.

"On top of that, Prince William, the Prime Minister and other members of our delegation were promised votes that did not materialise.”

Burden ruled out that it was the British media who was to blame after allegations of corruption was made by the Sunday Times and the BBC's Panorama programme

"I am well aware that some of the UK media coverage could have upset some of the Fifa executive committee," he said.

”We have a free press in our country and we all have to live with adverse comment from time to time."