Putin absent from 2018 decision

Vladimir Putin has confirmed he will not attend Thursday's ceremony where the host nations for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups are announced.

Fifa will unveil who has won the rights to the two tournaments in Zurich with a host of dignitaries representing the various nations in attendance.

Russia are in competition with England and joint bids from Spain/Portugal and Holland/Belgium for the hosting rights in 2018.

But Prime Minister Putin has now confirmed that he will not be present, a decision which could yet have a telling impact on the voting process from Fifa's members.
Pressure

Putin told ministers in Moscow: "I would have liked to have gone myself but in these conditions I have decided not to travel... so that they can make a decision without any pressure from the outside."

Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov will represent Russia's politicians, while Putin claimed his country had faced "unscrupulous competition" in the race for hosting rights.

England's bid is backed by the presence of Prince William, David Beckham and Prime Minister David Cameron, while Portugal Prime Minister Jose Socrates and Spanish counterpart Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero have been joined by Iker Casillas.

The Holland/Belgium team includes legendary players Johan Cruyff and Ruud

Gullit and the two countries' prime ministers.

Putin confirmed in a statement that he believed there had been an attempt to smear Fifa members.

He said: "I have just finished speaking with Fifa president Mr Blatter over the telephone.

"I would like to mention that, regretfully, we have recently witnessed an obvious campaign against some members of the Fifa executive committee. They are being smeared. There is an attempt to discredit them.

Unfair competition

"This seems to constitute unfair competition during the run-up to the voting to decide which country will host the world football championship in 2018.

"In this respect, I would like to say that Fifa is not just simply an organisation for conducting football matches. Fifa is a major international organisation, whose activities in the social area are very important globally.

"It is not a secret that football is probably one of the most popular sports. It keeps our young people away from the streets, illicit drugs and drinking.

"And I believe such methods of competing are unacceptable."

Putin also called on Fifa to bring the World Cup to Russia for the first time.

"The world football championship has never been held either in Russia, or anywhere else in eastern Europe," he said. "Russia has both the will and the capabilities, including financial, to organise this major sport event.

"And if we are granted this honour, rest assured we will deliver a championship at the highest possible level."

Putin said he would "definitely meet" Blatter and the Fifa executive committee if Russia was chosen.