UK Sports Minister Says Gov. Won’t Bid for Future WCs Until FIFA Reforms

The UK’s sports minister Hugh Robertson says that the government will not consider any future bid to host the World Cup until FIFA is successfully reformed.

England failed miserably in their last bid to host the 2018 event, picking up just 2 votes and being knocked out in the first round of a process eventually by Russia.

The FA remains bitter about the ordeal having been judged to have the most technically sound bid and has an uneasy relationship with FIFA which recently re-elected Sepp Blatter as president despite the FAs abstention from the vote.

Robertson stated: “It is very clear from our experience of the last bid and what has happened subsequently, that FIFA needs radical structural reform.

“Until that process is complete, I doubt we would consider a future bid.”

Robertson made his remarks in the Commons as Tory MP Damian Collins said any England bid to host the World Cup was “likely to fail” unless FIFA was reformed, claiming it had “a world of double-dealing and self-interest under Sepp Blatter”.

Last week, British Prime Minister David Cameron said FIFA’s reputation was now at an “all-time low” following Mr Blatter’s re-appointment as president in an uncontested election.

Robertson told the Commons: “Any future bid for a World Cup is some time away, probably not a bad thing, and probably not until 2013. Clearly any decision would be considered on its merits.

“However, I would expect there to be a far greater degree of transparency and accountability at Fifa before we consider any future bid.”