Moscow, Dec 2 (DPA) Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was set to fly to Zurich, where his country’s delegation celebrated its winning bid Thursday to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Putin was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency he wants to thank personally members of the executive committee of football’s world governing body FIFA.
The FIFA committee chose Russia ahead of rivals Portugal/Spain, England and Belgium/Netherlands in a secret ballot.
Putin promised Russia would do everything to stage a World Cup ‘of the highest standard’.
He added: ‘Russia knows and loves football.’
The vote for Russia corresponds with FIFA’s philosophy to develop the game in all regions of the world, he said.
Putin had decided against travelling to Zurich to lobby for Russia ahead of the vote.
He said he had not wanted to put pressure on the executive committee. He spoke of a ‘smear campaign’ against FIFA in connection with a recent corruption scandal and said he would stay at home as a gesture of respect for the ruling body.
