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World Cup bid rivals take the fight to England
By Andrew Warshaw
Organisers of Holland and Belgium's joint bid for the 2018 World Cup last
night threw down the gauntlet to England and warned the Football Association
they were in for a fight to stage the tournament.
As Richard Caborn, the Government's official 2018 spokesman,
prepared to announce a high-profile ambassador to lead England's campaign
- understood to be David Beckham - Dutch FA boss Mathieu Sprengers said
his country's joint bid with Belgium was cast in stone and would not be
withdrawn.
England must have the majority of Uefa's eight members behind their campaign
to stand a realistic chance of winning, having learned the lesson of 2006
when Germany had the backing of Europe. But Sprengers said Holland and
Belgium, who jointly staged Euro 2000, were just as deserving as England.
"We are two of the founders of Fifa," he said. "Do you
think after 100 years, if we can fulfil the conditions, that we would
withdraw our candidacy?"
Caborn is about to undertake an intensive lobbying campaign and intends
to focus on Fifa's African and South American members since neither of
those two continents will be bidding and are, as such, free votes. But
Sprengers said his country's joint bid should be taken equally seriously.
"Why should we step back and allow England to go ahead on their own?"
he asked. "They may not have staged the World Cup since 1966 but
we never have."
Meanwhile, on the eve of today's draw for Euro 2008, both organising countries
bemoaned England's absence from the tournament. Austrian FA president
Friedrich Stickler said it was "hard to believe" that England
failed to qualify.
"A European championship without England, it's hard to imagine. I
really miss that prospect," he said. "It's the only thing I
regret, in fact I regret it strongly. They bring a special flavour. Security
measures are much better than they used to be so there would have been
no reason to be afraid of the English fans."
It is understood that England's allocation of tickets will now go to Russia,
who took England's place in today's draw, though Uefa are reviewing the
distribution process since the Russians are unlikely to take up their
full quota.
Swiss FA president Ralph Zolczower said he was "very sad" England
will not be involved next summer. "It's exaggerating to say the tournament
would be devalued but Russia is not England who are the motherland of
football and belong to such a tournament," he said.
In another development, Uefa announced that players involved in Euro 2008
must undergo cardiac screening before the finals. General secretary David
Taylor said the official team doctor would be required to sit in the dugout
alongside the coach during matches.
"All possible precautions must be taken to ensure the safety of the
players," Taylor said. "Every player must have a cardiac screening
and it is the responsibility of the national associations' medical experts
to ensure their players are tested. They will also have to decide what
action they will take if for any reason a player fails a test."
Telegraph.co.uk,
02/12/2007
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