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From: Lord of War on 19 May 2010 10:23
FIFA asked its ethics committee on Monday to investigate claims by
former English Football Association chairman David Triesman that Spain
is trying to bribe referees at the World Cup.

Triesman quit Sunday after being secretly recorded by a tabloid
newspaper suggesting Russia was going to help Spain bribe referees at
the World Cup in return for gaining its rival's support in the race to
host the 2018 or 2022 tournament.

"FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke has requested the FIFA Ethics
Committee to examine the alleged statements made by Lord Triesman in
relation to the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World
Cups," world football's governing body said in a statement.

"In addition, FIFA has sent a letter to The Football Association
asking The FA to provide a report on this matter, including Lord
Triesman's position. FIFA will not make any further comment on this
matter until it has been dealt with by the FIFA Ethics Committee."

The investigation is a further setback to England's faltering bid to
host the World Cup for the first time since 1966.

The Mail on Sunday taped the 66-year-old Triesman two weeks ago
talking with Melissa Jacobs, a former aide from his time as a
government minister, but didn't publish the damaging allegations until
two days after he presented England's official bid book to FIFA
president Sepp Blatter.

The bid board had hoped that replacing Triesman on Sunday with Geoff
Thompson - a vice president of FIFA and UEFA - would draw a line under
the humiliating incident.

Russia also said Monday that it hadn't received the letter of apology
the FA claimed to have sent to Moscow.

Spain is bidding jointly with Portugal to host either the 2018 or 2022
World Cup, as are Belgium and Netherlands, while England and Russia
are bidding on their own. Australia and the United States are also
bidding for either tournament, while Japan, Qatar and South Korea are
concentrating on 2022 as they believe a European nation is favored to
win for 2018.



Read more:
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2010/05/17/2010-05-17_fifa_investigates_whether_spain_is_trying_to_bribe_world_cup_refs_after_claims_b.html#ixzz0oNweskJq
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