Prince's engagement may help England's World Cup bid

LONDON (AP):

The fallout from a BBC investigation into FIFA just days before the host of the 2018 tournament is decided could be offset by the "halo effect" of Prince William's planned wedding, England's World Cup bid leader said yesterday.

The BBC Panorama documentary, which is set to be broadcast three days before FIFA votes on the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups on December 2, was sharply criticised by bid chief executive Andy Anson, who called the scheduling unpatriotic.

"I'm incredibly disappointed with the timing of what the BBC is proposing with Panorama," Anson said. "If they truly believe there's a journalistic reason for this, they could have done it any time in the last two years. To do it like this is sensationalism."

Anson told BBC Director General Mark Thompson during a recent meeting that the programme could damage England's chances of winning the right to host the World Cup for the first time since 1966.

However, Anson was upbeat about the bid support already given by the prince and the possible lift from William's engagement to Kate Middleton, which was announced Tuesday.

"In the build-up to the final vote, he (William) will definitely have a lobbying role to play," Anson said. "The prince was down in Rome meeting members of UEFA and families at the Champions League final with 18 months to go. He has been down in South Africa with his brother. He did a number of things for us there. He has been involved."

As for the prince's interest in the game and the news of his engagement, Anson said: "He's got charisma. He loves his football. This is fantastic news and if it has a halo effect for our bid, then all well and good."

Old issues

The BBC, meanwhile, defended its decision to broadcast the programme despite England's bid team claiming that it will rake "over old issues" already dealt with by the Swiss courts.

"The findings of the Panorama investigation into FIFA will be in the public interest," the BBC said in a statement.

In detailed technical reports that have not been publicly released, FIFA rated England's bid as "low risk". Bid rival Spain-Portugal was given a similar rating, while Russia and Belgium-Netherlands are both considered to be "medium risk".

England's World Cup bid team has already written to FIFA's executive members asking them not to punish the campaign over investigations by the British media.

"The feedback we got from them was incredibly supportive," Anson said. "It did not smack of desperation. It was the right thing to do."

A Sunday Times investigation into alleged vote selling has led to two members of the 24-man committee being suspended.