Oceania Move May Hit US Bid

The vote to decide who hosts the World Cups in 2018 and 2002 reached new levels of bewilderment last night.

The Oceania delegation have been attempting to replace their disgraced delegate Reynald Temarii who has been banned from voting after a corruption investigation.

Temarii from Tahiti was one of the 24 voting members of the FIFA Executive Committee who would have decided the destinations until he and another delegate, Nigerian Amos Adamu, were banned after being found culpable.

However in the run up to Thursday’s vote, Oceania have been trying to replace Temarii with another voter, David Chung. A member of the Oceania Football Confederation confirmed to the media a deal they offered FIFA. Temarii would withdraw his appeal if they allowed Chung to vote.

This might be good news for England but not the USA. The Oceania delegation would almost certainly support the Australian bid for 2022 due to geographical proximity and language. Australia are direct rivals of the US bid.

Despite Temarii being rumbled in a sting set up by the English media, Chung would probably cast a vote for their bid, if anything in the hope of avoiding too much more attention.

However, the long awaited BBC Panorama program, FIFA’s Dirty Secrets, will be broadcast tomorrow and is widely expected to increase FIFA’s embarrassment and irritation with the English.

Press reports from England say FIFA Are sceptical of Oceania’s move and say it is too late to alter the electorate.

Related Stories:

BBC Accuse Four More FIFA Officials by Name

FIFA Delegates Found Guilty and Banned from World Cup Voting

[ad#Recent Articles]