Saturday 4 December 2010

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"I am not prepared to deal with people whom I cannot trust and I have withdrawn my candidacy."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