POSTED: Wednesday December 1st 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RUSSIAN PM PUTIN WILL NOT TO TRAVEL TO ZURICH OUT OF RESPECT TO FIFA - "DECISION WITHOUT ANY OUTSIDE PRESSURE"

Bid for the 2018 FIFA World Cup™

Moscow, 1 December 2010 - The Prime Minister of Russia, Vladimir Putin, announced today that he will not travel to Zurich to attend the final presentation of the Russian bid for the 2018 FIFA World Cup™, stating that he did not want to put pressure on the FIFA Executive Committee ahead of their momentous decision on 2 December.

Prime Minister Putin made the following statement at a meeting of the presidium of the Russian government held today in Moscow:
"I truly would like to present our bid, but under present circumstances and out of respect to the members of the FIFA Executive Committee, I decided to refrain from going to Zurich to allow them to make important decisions calmly and without pressure.

"I call upon my fellow international colleagues to do the same, and to honor the important and historic FIFA World Cup Host Country selection process taking place this week.

"As are all fair-minded people, I am very disappointed about the recent allegations against certain FIFA Executive Committee members. I see it as an unfair competition before the vote to choose future hosts of the FIFA World Cup.

"FIFA is not just a sports organization - it is an international institution, which serves a very important social mission today. It is not simply organizing football matches, but also providing an important social service.

"Football is one of the most popular sports in the world and it encourages young people towards healthy lifestyles.

"Russia has both the desire and the resources to host this grand competition. If we are awarded with it, we will do it in the most honorable way.

"If our country is chosen I will personally meet with President Blatter and the members of the Executive Committee immediately to discuss the staging of the World Cup in 2018", the Russian Prime Minister concluded.

For more information:
Russia Bid Committee for the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cup™
Julia Cooper, Communications Manager
International Media Coordinator
Phone: +7 495 660 49 80 /Mail: mail@russia2018-2022.com

Andreas Herren, International Media Coordinator
Mobile: +41 (79) 799 0046 / Mail: media@russia2018-2022.com

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Keywords · Russia 2022 · Vladimir Putin · FIFA World Cup · soccer

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Name: Julia Cooper
Organization: Russia Bid Committee for the 2018 FIFA World Cup™
Email:
Phone: +7 495 660 49 80
URL: http://www.russia2018-2022.com

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