CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani responded to Donald Trump's "shithole" slur on Friday, emphasizing the region's "embrace of diversity" as it enters a key phase in its bid for the 2026 World Cup, according to VANGUARD.
Trump on Thursday denounced immigration to the U.S. from "shithole countries" during a meeting with lawmakers (
VANGUARD, 1/12).
MOROCCO 2026 BID: The AP reported the Morocco 2026 World Cup bid, which has presented "scarce details" with five months until the vote, hired an int'l strategy consultant. London-based VERO, which worked on Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid, said that it will "shape the vision" of the expanded 48-team tournament in Morocco (AP, 1/12).
FIFA BRIBES: IOL's Luetticke & Semmler reported former FIFA VP Mohamed Bin Hammam reportedly confirmed receiving €6.7M in a payment which has been linked to the awarding of the 2006 World Cup in Germany. However, Bin Hammam "denied involvement in any bribery in connection with the payment" (IOL, 1/13).
RUSSIAN DOPES: In London, Draper & Harris reported Russia doped all its int'l football teams, with the Russian sports minister instructing that the players "should never be caught testing positive," according to whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov. Russia "planned to swap urine samples at the 2018 World Cup so that its footballers could take drugs with impunity this summer," in a "carbon copy" of the country's operation at the Sochi Winter Olympics, according to those close to Rodchenkov. Bryan Fogel, director of Icarus, the documentary film which detailed Rodchenkov's flight to the U.S. and "revealed the extent of the Russian doping conspiracy," has indicated that the lab director's testimony on football "will be just as damning as for winter sports or athletics" (DAILY MAIL, 1/13).
