FIFA Report -- Hayatou Considering Lawsuit; Putin Not Zurich-Bound

Hayatou Considers Suing BBC

FIFA vice president Issa Hayatou says he is considering a lawsuit against the BBC for a report in its show "Panorama" that alleges the Cameroonian took nearly $20,000 in bribes.

On Monday night’s broadcast, "Panorama" aired an episode accusing Hayatou and two other FIFA Executive Committee members of taking payments from the marketing company ISL.

"I have got an appointment with my lawyers" he told the United Kingdom’s Press Association of the possible legal fight. "I will talk to them and I will take it from there."

Hayatou, president of the Confederation of African Football, said the money was for the Confederation’s 40th anniversary celebration.

"This money was not for me," he said. "It was for the 40th anniversary of CAF. What "Panorama" also did is that they are saying I have been bribed now rather than something that happened 16 years ago.

"This was for the 40th anniversary of CAF. At that time ISL was the sponsor of CAF and they give the money to CAF and not to me, and the executive committee of CAF accepted it and approved it."

A BBC spokesperson told the agency "we stand by our allegations. Mr Hayatou now seems to be saying that there is an innocent explanation for the payment from ISL.

"However, when Panorama wrote to him repeatedly and approached him in person offering him an opportunity to put his side of the story, he offered no explanation.

"In fact, he chose not to respond at all in the lead-up to the broadcast. Panorama did not allege that Mr. Hayatou is currently being bribed.''

Hayatou is also an IOC member and the IOC is stressing that no members are under investigation as a result of the BBC "Panorama" program. The IOC has however asked for any evidence the show’s investigation discovered, and will investigate the allegations, but not any specific individuals.

Putin Not Zurich-Bound, Spokesman Says

Vladimir Putin will not join in Russia’s final presentation Thursday ahead of the FIFA Executive Committee’s vote on hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

"In the prime minister's agenda on December 2 there are events planned in Kaliningrad where questions of public health will be discussed," spokesman Dmitri Peskov was quoted Tuesday by the website Gazeta.ru.

The charismatic politician is credited with helping Sochi secure the Olympics after launching a charm offensive in Guatamala City in the Russian bid's lobbying push just 24 hours before the IOC vote in 2007.

Russian bid chairman Vitaly Mutko told World Football Insider in late September he believed Putin would have a similar impact on the outcome of the 2018 race.

Putin’s absence likely means one of two things: that bid leadership already believes Russia has 12 votes locked up and thus Putin is no longer needed, or that Putin wishes to avoid embarrassment by steering clear of a bid that is about to fail.

Beckham Busy in Zurich Ahead of Decision Day

David Beckham isn’t just in Zurich to woo FIFA Ex-Co members ahead of Thursday’s vote.

The England 2018 VP made a surprise trip Tuesday to a local school just hours after touching down in Switzerland.

The sporting icon led a coaching session and impromptu kick-around to the delight of awestruck students.

The visit came on behalf of the English bid, which touts football instruction and social development as key legacy initiatives.

Beckham will join British PM David Cameron and Prince William for England’s final pitch before FIFA chooses the 2018 and 2022 hosts Thursday afternoon in a secret ballot.

In the meantime, the three are busy aligning with bid leadership and preparing for the presentation.

Beckham, Cameron and Prince William met Tuesday with bid chairman Geoff Thompson, CEO Andy Anson and international president David Dein.

Cameron was also scheduled to meet later Tuesday with FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

Other members of England’s 30-man delegation, possibly including London mayor Boris Johnson, will depart Wednesday for Zurich.

Arshavin Hypes "New Russia", "New Chapter" for 2018 World Cup

Andrei Arshavin says a World Cup in the "new Russia" would mean be a "completely new chapter" for football’s top tournament.

"We have never had a World Cup," the Arsenal midfielder said Monday. "Hosting it here would open up new minds and new hearts for the game."

Arshavin, also a bid ambassador, is giving his role new meaning in the final hours before FIFA’s Executive Committee votes Thursday in a secret ballot for the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

"My interest and commitment to the game extends off the pitch as well," he said. "As the captain of the Russian national team, it is my duty to support the development of football throughout my country."

His comments come in a statement made available to World Football Insider by the Russian bid committee. Complete with financial and geographic data, construction updates and a response to recent criticism of Russian fans, the 900-word piece focuses on size and how that translates into a successful World Cup as well as a lasting legacy.

"Russia is a huge country, the biggest on earth. Everything is extra-large, including the organization of the game, which, by the way is the number 1 sport in our country," Arshavin said.

"With the support of the government, $1 billion U.S. dollars will be invested into grassroots and football development by 2015, as well as into football for women, beach soccerand programs for handicapped players.

"We are building pitches, football centers, schools and training sites in the most remote areas of our country, growing the game and providing opportunities for the next generations. We are training coaches and other specialists, and working hard to modernize the infrastructure of our top leagues."

Russia is vying for the 2018 World Cup alongside bids from England, Holland-Belgium and Spain-Portugal.

Former FIFA VP: English Media Soured 2018 Bid

A former FIFA vice president says the cash-for-votes bidding scandal that ousted two Ex-Co members from Thursday’s vote could also cost England the 2018 World Cup.

Vyacheslav Koloskov, also former president of the Russian FA, told Russian media Tuesday that the Sunday Times investigations of Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii coupled with new allegations made Monday by a BBC Panorama documentary titled "FIFA’s Dirty Secrets" will compromise England’s chances due to no fault of the bid committee.

"If I were a member of the Fifa Executive Committee and were to test sympathy for England there, I would say that it had vanished," he said.

"That has nothing to do with the bidding team however. But when one member of a family is attacked – andthe24 members of the Executive Committee are like a family – it casts a shadow on all of them."

Koloskov also said the 2018 race is now between Russia and Spain-Portugal and that his country has the advantage.

"I'd like to believe we're starting with seven votes, plus or minus one," he said. "And we'll finish, I hope, with 12."

Sony CEO Backs High-Tech Bid from Japan

Japan hopes Sony CEO Howard Stringer will give its tech-driven bid to host the 2022 World Cup a last-minute boost.

The Welsh-born businessman announced Tuesday he will accompany bid leadership to Zurich for Wednesday’s final presentation as well as Thursday’s vote.

" In 2022, it would not be science fiction to imagine crowds in as many as 400 stadiums around the world watching World Cup matches from Japan on a pitch-sized giant screen, or on the more than 2 billion portable displays that will be in people's hands by 2022, or in remote villages with no electricity and no TVs," Stringer said in a statement.

"Through technology we hope to make 2022 the year football really touches the whole world."

Plans presented in May to FIFA president Sepp Blatter call for matches to be broadcast in 3D at 400 fan fests spread across FIFA’s 208 member countries.

FIFA previously partnered with Sony to deliver the first-ever 3D coverage of a World Cup from this summer’s tournament in South Africa.

Japan is vying for the 2022 World Cup alongside bids from Australia, South Korea, Japan, Qatar and the U.S.

Written by Matthew Grayson.