FIFA "put its problems to one side and began the countdown" to the 2018 World Cup on Saturday when Russian President Vladimir Putin and FIFA President Sepp Blatter "re-assured the nation the tournament would go ahead as planned," according to Mike Collett of REUTERS. A "glitzy preliminary-round draw ceremony was beamed live to 170 countries around the world," sending a "powerful message that the finals would take place no matter what enquiries are going on" over alleged voting irregularities which secured Russia the hosting rights five years ago. Blatter confirmed that Russia would stage the tournament, saying that the FIFA exec committee had "full trust and confidence." Putin told the global audience that "Russia will be fantastic hosts." Putin also pledged to host a World Cup -- in a country where "racism is rife" at football matches -- promising both domestic and foreign players and fans would feel at home at a "grandiose international sporting festival." World champion Germany was handed a "kind draw" when it was placed in the same group as the Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, Norway, Azerbaijan and San Marino (REUTERS, 7/25). REUTERS' Brian Homewood reported Saturday's draw in St. Petersburg, two hours long and "featuring various musical interludes, was typical of the opulence" that FIFA and its leaders have been "increasingly criticised for." Delegations from around 150 national FAs attended the draw, FIFA officials said, although each federation had to pay its own way. After "being fast-tracked through immigration" they were accommodated in some of St. Petersburg's "most lavish hotels." On the eve of the draw they were treated to a banquet at the Mikhailovsky Palace, "the spectacular Neoclassical main building of the Russian museum" in the city center (REUTERS, 7/25).
SOROKIN DEFENDS BLATTER: REUTERS' Tony Jimenez reported Russia World Cup Organizing Committee CEO Alexei Sorokin said that Blatter is "a victim" and a "very brave person." Sorokin: "He has always been a friend of our country. We are certain everything he's doing is for the good of FIFA to which he has dedicated his life. Unfortunately, he decided to take up responsibility himself for certain things which are not within his responsibility." Sorokin said that the controversy was "casting shade on the most cherished FIFA product, the World Cup, without any grounds." He added, "It's a purely blown-up matter which hurts us. ... We need to focus. It's time to go on and stop rubbing it in and discussing this" (REUTERS, 7/24). REUTERS reported Blatter said that FIFA has passed a resolution "offering full support for holding the 2018 World Cup in Russia." Blatter: "I would like to inform you that the executive committee has recently adopted a new resolution in which FIFA assures the Russian Federation of its full support in carrying out the World Cup in Russia in 2018" (REUTERS, 7/25).
BURZACO AGREES TO EXTRADITION: In N.Y., Thompson & Vinton reported Argentine businessman Alejandro Burzaco has "reportedly agreed to be extradited from Italy" to the U.S. to face charges in the Justice Department's "massive FIFA corruption case." Burzaco, accused of bribery, turned himself in June 9 in Italy. Burzaco, charged in May with fraud and money laundering, will be flown to N.Y. on a "commercial flight without handcuffs in the first days of August, accompanied by his lawyer and law-enforcement officers." Burzaco is a sports marketing exec "who made multimillion-dollar deals for broadcast and marketing rights" associated with int'l football tournaments (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/23).
